13

A.—2

not, from the point of view of New Zealand, present any great difficulty, such as the general undertakings of international good conduct (Article 2) ; the duty to submit any international dispute in which we may be engaged to procedures of peaceful settlement (Articles 33 and 37) ; the obligation to comply with the decision of the International Court of Justice in any case to which New Zealand may be a party (Article 94). The specific and solemn pledges to which special attention should be drawn are the following:— 1. Obligation concerning the Use of Armed Forces Under Article 43 " all members of the United Nations, in order to contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security, undertake to make available to the Security Council, on its call and in accordance with a special agreement or agreements, armed forces, assistance, and facilities, including rights of passage, necessary for the purpose of maintaining international peace and security." This clause means that we shall be obliged to enter into an -agreement concerning the provision of armed forces. The size of these forces will be a matter of negotiation, but it will be wise to assume that each member will be asked to supply a substantial amount since the sum total of the forces and facilities will furnish the means on which the United Nations are to rely for the repression of threats to the peace. Once the agreement is made, the forces stipulated must be supplied on the " call " of the Security Council—that is, whenever the Security Council, of which New Zealand may not often be a member, considers that the occasion for their use has arisen. 2. Obligation concerning Air Force Contingents Of the forces to be " made available" under the agreement referred to above some are to be " immediately available." It is laid down in Article 45 that " in order to enable the United Nations to take urgent military measures, members shall hold immediately available national air force contingents for combined international enforcement action." It is further stipulated that " the strength and degree of readiness of these contingents and plans for their combined action shall be determined, within the limits laid down in the special agreement or agreements referred to in Article 43, by the Security Council with the assistance of the Military Staff Committee." 3. Obligation to apply Measures not involving the Use of Armed Force The Security Council may, under Article 41, " decide what measures not involving the use of armed force are to be employed to give effect to its decisions, and it may call upon the members of the United Nations to apply such measures." The obligation to respond to this call of the Security Council is absolute, and is not subject to any further agreement. The measures " may include complete or partial interruption of economic relations and of rail, sea, air, postal, telegraphic, radio, and other means of communication, and the severance of diplomatic relations." 4. Obligation concerning Economic and Social Co-operation All the United Nations pledge themselves to take " joint and separate action in co-operation with the Organization" to promote " higher standards of living, full employment," and various other economic and social objectives (Articles 55 and 56). 5. Obligation regarding Trusteeship As the holder of a mandate from the" League of Nations, New Zealand will be expected to conclude an agreement placing the mandated territory under the trusteeship system established by the