The United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) is an organization founded on 29 May 1948 for peacekeeping in the Middle East. Established amidst the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, its primary task was initially to provide the military command structure to the peacekeeping forces in the Middle East to enable the peacekeepers to observe and maintain the ceasefire, and in assisting the parties to the Armistice Agreements in the supervision of the application and observance of the terms of those Agreements. The organization's structure and role has evolved over time as a result of the various conflicts in the region and at times UNTSO personnel have been used to rapidly deploy to other areas of the Middle East in support of other United Nations operations. The command structure of the UNTSO was maintained to cover the later peacekeeping organisations of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to which UNTSO continues to provide military observers.
The United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194 is a resolution adopted near the end of the 1947–1949 Palestine war. The Resolution defines principles for reaching a final settlement and returning Palestine refugees to their homes. Article 11 of the resolution resolves that
refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property which, under principles of international law or equity, should be made good by the Governments or authorities responsible.
The United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine (UNCCP) or Palestine Conciliation Commission (PCC) was created by UN-resolution 194 of December 11, 1948, with the aim of mediating in the Arab–Israeli conflict. The Commission consisted of France, Turkey and the United States, and its official headquarters was set up in Jerusalem on January 24, 1949. The commission met separately with Israeli and Arab governments from February 12–25, 1949, with Muhammad Nimr al-Hawari of the General Refugee Congress (GRC) and a Palestinian refugee delegation on March 21 in Beirut, and on April 7 in Tel Aviv with Israeli prime minister David Ben-Gurion. It then proposed the Lausanne Conference of 1949.
The United Nations has played an advisory role in maintaining peace and order in the Kashmir region soon after the independence and partition of British India into the dominions of Pakistan and India in 1947, when a dispute erupted between the two new States on the question of accession over the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. India took this matter to the UN Security Council, which passed resolution 39 (1948) and established the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP) to investigate the issues and mediate between the two new countries. Following the cease-fire of hostilities, it also established the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to monitor the cease-fire line.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 27, adopted on August 1, 1947, called for the opposing Netherlands and Indonesian Republicans in the Indonesian National Revolution to lay down their arms and to allow a peaceful mediation of the conflict.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 41, adopted on February 28, 1948, commended both parties in the Indonesian National Revolution for the recent signing of a truce and attempts to comply with United Nations Security Council Resolution 27, repeated the offer of mediation made in United Nations Security Council Resolution 31, and requested the Committee of Good Offices keep them informed as to the progress of political settlement in the Indonesia.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 50, adopted on May 29, 1948, called upon all governments and authorities involved in the conflict in Palestine to order a cessation of all acts of armed force of four weeks, to refrain from introducing any fighting personnel into Palestine, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Transjordan or Yemen during the cease-fire, to refrain from importing or exporting war material into or to Palestine, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Transjordan or Yemen during the cease-fire.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 53, adopted on 7 July 1948, took into consideration a telegram from the United Nations Mediator in Palestine dated 5 July 1948. The resolution "addresses an urgent appeal to the interested parties to accept in principle the prolongation of the truce for such period as may be decided upon in consultation with the Mediator."
United Nations Security Council Resolution 54, adopted on 15 July 1948, determined that the situation in Palestine constitutes a threat to the peace within the meaning of Article 39 of the Charter of the United Nations. The resolution ordered all governments and authorities concerned to desist from further military action and to issue a cease-fire to their military and paramilitary forces to take effect at a time to be determined by the mediator in the next three days. It also declared that failure to comply with these orders would demonstrate the existence of a breach of the peace within the meaning of article 39 of the Charter and would require immediate consideration by the Council.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 59, adopted on October 19, 1948, concern that the Provisional government of Israel had yet to submit a report to the Council regarding the progress of the investigation into the assassinations of United Nations Mediator Count Folke Bernadotte and Observer Colonel Andre Serot. The Council requested the Israeli Government submit an account of the progress made in the investigation and to indicate therein the measures taken with regard to negligence on the part of officials or other factors affecting the crime.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 61, adopted on November 4, 1948, decided that the truce established in United Nations Security Council Resolution 54 shall remain in effect until a peaceful adjustment of the future situation of Palestine is reached. To that end the Council ordered the withdraw of the forces in the area back to the positions held on the 14th of October with the Acting Mediator being authorized to establish provisional lines beyond which no movement of troops was to take place. The Council also decreed that neutral zones shall be established through negotiations between the parties, or failing that, by the decision of the Acting Mediator.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 66, adopted on December 29, 1948, in response to a report by the Acting Mediator regarding hostilities which broke out in southern Palestine on December 22 despite UN calls for a cease-fire, the Council demanded the immediate implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 61. The Resolution instructs the Acting Mediator to facilitate the complete supervision of the truce by the UN observers. The Resolution further instructs the committee appointed in UNSC Resolution 61 to meet at Lake Success, New York on January 7 to consider the situation in southern Palestine and to report to the Council on the extent to which governments have or have not complied with UNSC Resolutions 61 and 62. The Resolution also invited Cuba and Norway to replace the two retiring member of the committee on January 1.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 67, adopted on January 28, 1949, satisfied that both parties in the Indonesian Conflict continued to adhere to the principles of the Renville Agreement, the Council called upon the Netherlands to immediately discontinue all military operations and upon the Indonesian Republic to order its armed adherents to cease guerrilla warfare and for both parties to cooperate in the restoration of peace and the maintenance of law and order throughout the area. The Council further called upon the Netherlands to release all political prisoners arrested since December 17, 1948 and to facilitate the immediate return of officials of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia to Jogjakarta and afford to them such facilities as may reasonably be required by that Government for its effective functioning in that area.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 72, adopted on August 11, 1949, after receiving a report by the Acting United Nations Mediator in Palestine on the completion of his responsibilities, the UN decided to pay tribute to the late Count Folke Bernadotte, the then current Acting Mediator Dr. Ralph J. Bunche and the Belgian, French, Swedish and American officers who served on the staff and as military observers in Palestine.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 186, adopted unanimously on 4 March 1964 during the Cyprus crisis of 1963–64, calling on all member states to conform to their obligations under the Charter, asked the Government of Cyprus to take all additional measures necessary to stop violence and bloodshed and called on communities in Cyprus and their leaders to act with restraint. The resolution then recommend the creation of a peace-keeping force in the interest of preserving international peace and to prevent a recurrence of fighting and that, in agreement with the Governments of Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom, a mediator would be appointed to try to promote a peaceful solution to the problem confronting Cyprus.
United Nations Security Council resolution 479, adopted unanimously on 28 September 1980, after reminding Member States against the use of threats and force in their international relations, the Council called upon Iran and Iraq to immediately cease any further uses of force and instead settle their dispute through negotiations.
United Nations Security Council resolution 514, adopted unanimously on 12 July 1982, after recalling Resolution 479 (1980) and noting the mediation efforts by the Secretary-General, Organisation of the Islamic Conference and the Non-Aligned Movement, the council expressed its deep concern at the prolonged conflict between Iran and Iraq.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1283, adopted unanimously on 15 December 1999, after reaffirming all resolutions on the situation in Cyprus, including Resolution 1251 (1999), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) for a further six months until 15 June 2000.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1809 was unanimously adopted on 16 April 2008.
