Introduction. The United Nations was established on 24 October 1945 by 51 countries committed to preserving peace through international cooperation and collective security. Today, nearly every nation in the world belongs to the UN: membership totals 191 countries. When States become Members of the United Nations, they agree to accept the obligations of the UN Charter, an international treaty that sets out basic principles of international relations. According to the Charter, the UN has four purposes: to maintain international …showed first 75 words of 5480 total…

…showed last 75 words of 5480 total…Malcolm N. Shaw, International Law, 1997,Cambridge University Press, London <Tab/>Mark W. Janis, An Introduction to International Law, 1999, Aspen Law and Business, Gaithersburg <Tab/>Sydney D. Bailey and Sam Daws, The United Nations - A Concise Political Guide, 3rd edition, 1995, Barnes and Noble Books, London <Tab/>William R. Slomanson, Fundamental Perspectives on International Law, 4th edition, 2003, Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, USA