The United Nations does not pass laws; it passes resolutions. A resolution is a way of bringing pressure to bear upon member states, of expressing an opinion on a pressing matter, or of recommending that the United Nations or some other agency take some action. Draft resolutions are known as "working papers" when the delegates are working on them informally among their colleagues. Once a committee director has accepted the document and sent it to DPI for coping and distribution, it receives a number and is considered a draft resolution. Working papers should not be submitted to the Chair until they have been circulated among other delegated in order to incorporate different perspectives and to build support. Working papers should be sponsored by several states so that the work of negotiation and consensus building can be shared. The process of writing resolutions in committee with other delegates is designed to teach delegates the subtler forms of negotiation.
When drafting and sponsoring a resolution, keep in mind that the wording will greatly influence its appeal. The resolution should be clear, concise, and specific. Its substance should be well researched and reflect the character and interests of the sponsoring nations. Sponsors should expect to introduce resolutions to every member of the committee, read parts of the document in formal session, negotiate intensively and often, incorporate changes and defend the document throughout the session.
Drafting Resolutions
Each resolution has three parts: Heading; Preambulatory clauses; and Operative clauses. The resolution is one long sentence with commas after each perambulatory, semi-colons after the operative clauses, and a period only at the end.
Heading
The heading of all draft resolutions should include:
Committee: Name of organ where it was introduced
Subject: The topic of the resolution
Sponsored by: List of sponsoring nation(s), which is removed from final draft
Once the Chair has accepted the draft resolution, it will be sent to DPI and given a reference number. This number will be included in the heading when copies of the draft resolution are distributed to the committee.
Preambulatory Clauses
The purpose of the preamble is to show that there is a problem that needs to be solved and to demonstrate that the problem is within the jurisdiction of the UN. These two purposes are fulfilled by referring to appropriate sections of the UN Charter, by citing precedents of UN action, or by citing previous resolutions or precedents of international law.
The preamble should also point out the key elements of the current problem by specifically referring to situations or incidents. Finally, the preamble may include altruistic appeals to the common sense or humanitarian instincts of members with reference to the Charter, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, etc.
Preambulatory Phases
Preambulatory clauses are statements that explain the purpose of the resolution. Each preambulatory clause should begin with a verb in the present participial form (one that ends in ing). Preambulatory clauses are not amenable once the committee officers have accepted the draft resolution. A comma follows each perambulatory clause.
Examples:
| Affirming | Desiring | Having adopted |
| Alarmed by | Emphasizing | Having examined |
| Approving | Expecting | Having considered further |
| Aware of | Expressing its appreciation | Noting with approval |
| Bearing in mind |
Expressing its satisfaction | Noting further |
| Believing | Fulfilling | Noting with deep concern |
| Confident | Fully aware |
Observing |
| Conscious of | Further deploring | Realizing |
| Contemplating | Further recalling | Reaffirming |
| Convinced | Guided by | Recalling |
| Declaring | Having considered | Recognizing |
| Deeply regretting | Having studies |
Seeking |
| Deeply disturbed | Having devoted attention | Taking into account |
| Deeply convinced | Having heard | Taking note |
| Deeply concerned | Having received | Welcoming |
Operative Clauses
The solution in a resolution is presented in sequentially numbered operative clauses. These clauses may recommend, urge, condemn, encourage, or request certain actions, or state a favorable or unfavorable opinion regarding an existing situation. Each operative clause calls for a specific action by using an active verb to begin the clause. The action may be as vague as a denunciation of a certain situation or a call for negotiations, or as specific as a request that the Security-General sends an envoy to the area in question to conduct a fact-finding mission. Remember that only Security Council resolutions are binding upon member states. The other organs of the UN, including the General Assembly and its main committees, can make only recommendations.
Resolutions are seldom complete, self-contained solutions to a problem. They are generally steps or links in the process of developing a solution. Delegates should be willing to consider several different solutions. Prior research should have yielded an awareness of various alternatives; imagination and avid news watching may produce some new ones.
If a delegation sponsors a resolution, he or she should take reasonable care to ensure that it agrees with the policies of his or her government as indicted by past actions. Nations that sponsor a resolution should take an active part in its writing, should support the intent and substance of the document, and work as a team with the other sponsors to get the resolution passes.
Signatories should also support the basic intent of the document. For example, the United States, Iraq, Iran, and Kuwait would not jointly sponsor a resolution calling for a US naval presence in the Persian Gulf. Iran and Iraq might sponsor a resolution opposing such a presence, but neither is obligated to vote for the resolution. Common sense often serves as the best guide to national interest, enhanced by a well-developed understanding of your nation?s policies.
Operative Phrases
Operative clauses contain the substance of the resolution: the recommended actions. These clauses are fully amendable and go through a series of revisions in committee negotiations before reaching final form. Each begins with a verb in the present tense (usually ending in s). Operative clauses are sequentially numbered and are followed by a semi-colon, except for the last, which is followed by a period.
Examples
|
Accepts Affirms Approves Authorizes Calls upon Calls Condemns Confirms Congratulates Further resolves |
Further requests Has resolved Notes Proclaims Considers declares accordingly Deplores Designates Draws attention Reaffirms |
Recommends Regrets Reminds Requests Resolves Solemnly affirms Strongly condemns Supports Takes note of Trusts |
Urges Emphasizes Encourages Endorses Expresses its hope expresses its appreciation Further proclaims Further invited Further recommends Further reminds |
Analyzing Resolutions
The task of analyzing resolutions involved identifying first the topic, the sponsor(s), and the intent. Once these have been established, the resolution can be examined in greater detail for the specific actions proposed.
The tone of the resolution must be noted. Often this can be done on the basis of the language used. A mild, conciliatory resolution might call on parties to a dispute to seek a peaceful settlement or consider beginning negotiations without reference to a specific outcome. A stronger resolution might take a clear stand in favor of one side by condemning one of the parties in a dispute and calling for certain actions by the party.
When a country is equivocal in its stand on a contentious issue, or is trying to protect certain interests, the precise wording of the resolution must be examined carefully. The reference in the preamble should be checked. Recollection of a previous UN resolution or reference to a particular principle that the nation opposed can be enough to kill potential support for a draft resolution unless the nation?s position has changed.
If a country supports the general thrust of the resolution or thinks that it is in its interest to do so but has reservations about certain sections, it might seek changes in the specific language.
In general, the identity of the sponsor(s) would rarely be sufficient to kill potential support, but exceptions exist. Such member states as Iraq, Israel, or South Africa might be wise to refrain from being listed as sponsors of a draft resolution even if they played key roles in drafting it. Sponsors of successful resolutions are most commonly neutral or middle-of-the-road states. It is important to consider whether the objectives and goals of the sponsoring state(s) are consistent with your government?s interests and goals.
Amendments
An amendment is used to clarify a draft resolution or change it to incorporate additional interests or concerns. After a draft resolution had been submitted, one or more members may wish to change some aspect of it. Any member of the body can propose an amendment to any daft resolution.
Keep in mind that prior to formal submission of the draft resolution, changes can be incorporated without having to resort to the amendment process. This is one of the purposes of caucusing sessions. During voting bloc, proposes amendments to a draft resolution are voted on separately prior to the vote on the draft resolution itself, requiring additional time in voting bloc and making voting more complicated. It is better and more consistent with actual UN procedures to use caucusing sessions to get input into the draft resolution from as many delegates as possible and to make all changes acceptable to the sponsors before submitting the working paper to the officers of the committee.
There are limits on how far an amendment may go in changing the draft resolution. An amendment may delete, add, or change words or phrases as long as these changes do not alter the basic meaning or intent of the resolution. The committee officers will evaluate proposed amendments to ensure that the potential changes do not exceed these limits, and to ensure proper format, correct grammar and clarity.
Only the operative clauses of a draft resolution may be amended, never the perambulatory clauses.