Rules of Procedure


Frostburg State University
April 5, 2006

PROCEDURES OF THE MODEL

It is important to keep in mind that the Model is an abstraction of the Security Council, not a duplication of it. Due to time limitations, the Model allows for only a partial examination of issues under discussion. Since complex negotiations that would normally take weeks or months are compressed into hours, many specific provisions that are not always an entirely accurate reflection of reality, must be made.

The Council Session

When students arrive at the Model, they should have, ready to submit to the Council, any draft resolutions which they would like to have considered during the formal debate and consideration session. Remember, the draft resolutions need not be long three or four clauses should suffice (see below Preparation of Draft Resolutions). The Council session itself will begin with an introduction of the issue by the Secretary General. The meeting will take place in accordance with the enclosed Rules of Procedure (although a detailed knowledge of them is not necessary, each delegate should be familiar with the basics). Delegates wishing to speak on the issue (each delegate may only speak for two minutes) can add their names to the speakers’ list by raising their country's place cards (provided by FSU). After nations have expressed their opinions, delegates may bring a resolution before the Council or recess to caucus. At the conclusion of debates and after the consideration of amendments, a vote is taken on the resolution (only one resolution at a time can be considered by the Council). Remember that nine votes are needed to pass a resolution in the Council without a negative vote by any of the five permanent members of the Council.

Caucusing

The greatest part of UN negotiation occurs outside of the meeting room in informal caucuses. In these sessions delegates meet informally, without public scrutiny, to formulate positions and to negotiate. During caucusing, support for draft resolutions can be sought, amendments discussed and differences of opinion can be worked out so that the Council can take some action. We hope that students will use caucusing as one of the principal methods of reaching agreement at the Model.

Preparation of Draft Resolutions

Resolutions are the basic decisions or statements of the organs of the United Nations. They form the basis of discussion for substantive debate as well as private discussion. While they are prepared by an individual nation or several nations acting in concert, once adopted they declare the official policy of the organ.

Resolutions may either be general statements or contain directions for specific organizations, bodies, or states. They may condemn actions of a state or group, call for collective action, or, as in the case of the Security Council, require economic or military sanctions. When writing resolutions, it is important to keep in mind the specific capabilities of the Security Council.

Amendments are additions, deletions, or changes to draft resolutions. Final drafts of resolutions should be worked out in group caucuses. By submitting resolutions and amendments that take into account a number of varying positions on the issue, representatives can expedite Security Council business and facilitate approval of a resolution. A broad consensus also helps to ensure that a resolution will be implemented rather than merely passed.

Each resolution is a single sentence, with different sections separated with semicolons and commas. The subject of the sentence is, in this case, the Security Council. The remainder of the resolution is divided into two parts: Preambulatory and Operative clauses. PREAMBULATORY CLAUSES are justifications for actions. They usually begin with present participles and denote Charter authorization for actions, past resolution precedents and statements about the particular purposes of this action. OPERATIVE CLAUSES are the policy portions of the resolution. Each of these starts with a verb, and taken as a whole, deals thoroughly with one idea arranged in logical progression. Each clause should not be a collection of unrelated thoughts or statements on a broad topic, but should deal with only one aspect of the problem. A hypothetical example follows:

Sponsored by the Hashimite Kingdom of Jordan

The Security Council

Recalling establishment of the 1993 Oslo Accords to facilitate a peaceful transition of power,

Recognizing the recent breakdown of these peace accords and the subsequent acts of
violence and the threat that this violence represents to the welfare of the people of the
West Bank of the River Jordan and the security of the region,

Reaffirming the Security Council's duty under Chapter Seven of the Charter to act to
protect international peace and security,

1. Condemns the recent acts of terrorism in Hebron and Israel,
2. Appeals to all representatives of concerned parties in the region to take all measures necessary to end the violence and intimidation,
3. Affirms its willingness to take all appropriate and necessary actions to establish a lasting peace in the area of the West Bank of the River Jordan.

Note that while this is an example of a very broad and non specific resolution, resolutions can be quite specific and directive marking off territories, mandating troop movements, imposing or lifting sanctions, ordering the use of peace keeping forces, etc.

RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE MODEL SECURITY COUNCIL

For the purposes of this simulation, these rules of procedure are modifications of the actual Security Council rules. They are not the actual rules that govern Security Council meetings.

Agenda

(1) The Secretary General shall immediately bring to the attention of all representatives of the Security Council all communications from the States or from the Secretary General concerning the matter for the consideration of the Security Council in accordance with the provisions of the Charter.

(2) The provisional agenda for each meeting of the Security Council shall be drawn up by the Secretary General.

Representation and Credentials

Each member nation of the Security Council shall be represented at the meeting of the Security Council by an accredited representative.

Presidency

The Secretary General shall preside over the meetings of the Security Council

Secretariat

(1) The Director, or his deputy acting on his behalf, may make either oral or written statements to the Security Council concerning any question under consideration by it.

(2) The Director shall provide the staff required by the Security Council. This staff shall form a part of the Secretariat.

Conduct of Business

(1) The Secretary General shall call upon representatives in the order in which they signify their desire to speak.

(2) The Security Council may appoint a commission or a rapporteur for a specific question.

(3) If a representative raises a point of order, the Secretariat General shall immediately make a ruling. If it is challenged, the Secretary General shall submit his/her ruling to the Security Council for immediate decision and it shall stand unless overruled.

(4) Proposed resolutions, amendments and substantive motions shall normally be placed before the representatives in writing.

(5) Principal motions and draft resolutions shall have precedence in the order of their submission.

Parts of a motion or of a draft resolution shall be voted on separately at the request of any representative unless the original mover objects.

(6) The following motions shall have precedence in the order named over all principal motions:

(a) To suspend the meeting;

(b) To adjourn the meeting;

(c) To adjourn the meeting to a certain hour;

(d) To refer any matter to the Secretary General or to a rapporteur;

(e) To postpone discussion of the question to a certain time;

(f) To introduce an amendment.

Any motion for the suspension, or for the simple adjournment of the meeting shall be decided without debate.

(7) A motion or draft resolution proposed by a representative on the Security Council must be seconded before being put to a vote.
(8) A motion or draft resolution can at any time be withdrawn so long as no vote has been taken with respect to it.
If the primary sponsor of the motion or draft resolution wishes to withdraw his/her support for the motion or draft resolution, the secondary supporter may(if he/she chooses) claim the motion or draft resolution and the right to continue consideration of the motion or draft resolution or to withdraw it.

(9) If two or more amendments to a motion or draft resolution are proposed, the Secretary General shall rule on the order in which they are voted upon. Ordinarily, the Security Council shall first vote on the amendment furthest removed in substance from the original proposal and then on the amendment next furthest removed until all amendments have been put to a vote, but when an amendment adds to or deletes from the text of a motion or draft resolution, that amendment shall be voted on first.

(10) The Security Council may invite members of the Secretariat or other persons, whom it considers competent for the purpose, to supply it with information or to give other assistance in examining matters within its competence.

Voting

Voting in the Security Council shall be in accordance with the relevant Articles of the Charter and of the Statue of the International Court of Justice. The relevant article is Article 27, which states:

(a) Each member nation of the Security Council shall have one vote.

(b) Decisions of the Security Council on procedural matters shall be made by an affirmative vote of nine members.

(c) Decisions of the Security Council on all other matters shall be made by an affirmative vote of nine members including the concurring votes of the permanent members; provided that, in decisions under Chapter VI, and under paragraph 3 of Article 52, a party to a dispute shall abstain from voting.

The practice of the Security Council has established that abstention is treated as a concurring vote.

Languages

English shall be both the official and working language of the Security Council.

Rules for the Consideration of Resolutions

• Resolutions must be submitted to the designated FSU facilitators 10 minutes prior to the end of any caucus.

• Each Council session will start with a five minute period for delegations to review submitted resolutions.

• Resolutions will be considered in the order that they are presented to the facilitators.

• Each resolution will be considered as follows:

The Secretary General will invite two delegations to speak "for" the resolution and two to speak "against" the resolution, for two minutes each ( This constitutes the "speakers list" for this resolution).

After the exhaustion of the "speakers list", the Secretary General will ask if any delegation would like to address questions to the speakers. At this time delegations can also introduce amendments to the current resolution. Please note, the speakers list may be extended upon the request of a delegation with the approval of nine members of the Council (There is no discussion, no need for permanent member approval, no need for seconding the motion).

* Amendments will be considered at the time of their introduction. Each amendment will be considered separately. The Secretary General will call for I speaker "for" and 1 speaker "against" each proposed amendment (1 minute each). Questions may be posed concerning the amendment on the floor.

* A delegation must call for a vote on an amendment. This motion must be seconded. Any motion to vote on an amendment which is not seconded by another delegation is automatically defeated the amendment dies on the floor.

* If the motion to vote on the amendment is seconded, a vote is taken. The amendment must receive nine affirmative votes to pass. An amendment may not pass without an affirmative vote or an abstention on the part of the five permanent members of the Council.

After the exhaustion of the speakers’ list and consideration of all amendments that have been proposed, a vote may be taken. Any motion to vote on a resolution must be seconded. Any motion to vote on a resolution which is not seconded by another delegation is automatically defeated the resolution dies on the floor.

- If the motion to vote on the resolution is seconded, a vote is taken. The amendment may not pass without an affirmative vote or an abstention on the part of the five permanent
- members of the Council.

Each resolution (with amendments) must be fully considered and voted upon or tabled within twenty minutes).