Introduction and Preamble

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

The United Nations Charter was signed on 26 June 1945 in San Francisco, at the end of the United Nations Conference on International Organization, and came into force on 24 October that year. The Statute of the International Court of Justice is an integral part of the Charter.

On 17 December 1963 the General Assembly adopted amendments to Articles 23, 27 and 61 of the Charter, which entered into force on 31 August 1965. On 20 December 1971 the General Assembly approved another amendment to Article 61, which came into force on 24 September 1973. An amendment to Article 109, adopted by the General Assembly on 20 December 1965 entered into force on 12 June 1968.

The amendment to Article 23 enlarges the membership of the Security Council from eleven to fifteen. The amended Article 27 provides that decisions of the Security Council on procedural matters shall be taken by the affirmative vote of nine members (formerly seven) and on all other matters by the affirmative vote of nine members (formerly seven), including the votes affirmative of the five permanent members of the Security Council.

The amendment to Article 61, which entered into force on 31 August 1965, enlarged the membership of the Economic and Social Council from eighteen to twenty-seven. The subsequent amendment to that article, which came into force on 24 September 1973, further increased the number of Council members twenty-seven to fifty-four.

The amendment to Article 109, which corresponds to paragraph 1 of that Article, provides that it may hold a General Conference of Member States for the purpose of reviewing the Charter, the date and venue to be determined by a vote of two thirds parts of the Members of the General Assembly and by a vote of any nine members (formerly seven) of the Security Council. Paragraph 3 of Article, which relates to the consideration of the question of a possible review conference during the tenth ordinary session of the General Assembly, has been preserved in its original form far as a "vote of seven members any of the Security Council ", since in 1955 the General Assembly at its tenth regular session, and the Security Council took action on that paragraph.

PREAMBLE

WE THE PEOPLES OF THE UNITED NATIONS DETERMINED

To save succeeding generations from the scourge of war which twice in our lifetime has inflicted untold sorrow to mankind
To reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in 1a dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small,
To create conditions under which justice can be maintained and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law,
To promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,

AND FOR THESE ENDS

To practice tolerance and live together in peace as good neighbors,
To unite our strength to maintain peace and security
To ensure, by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods, which do not use armed force, save in the common interest and,
To employ international machinery to promote economic and social advancement of all peoples,

HAVE RESOLVED TO COMBINE OUR EFFORTS TO ACCOMPLISH THESE AIMS

Therefore, our respective Governments, through representatives assembled in San Francisco who have exhibited their full powers found in good and due form, have agreed to the present United Nations Charter, and do hereby establish a international organization called the United Nations.

Published by:
Alejandro Coltro for EES 3
San Nicolás - Bs As - Argentina
Authentic from:
United Nations