| UN Security Council Resolution 638 | |
|---|---|
Dragon Rouge hostage incident in the Congo (1965) | |
| Date | 31 July 1989 |
| Meeting no. | 2,872 |
| Code | S/RES/638 (Document) |
| Subject | Hostage taking |
Voting summary | 15 voted for None voted against None abstained |
| Result | Adopted |
| Security Council composition | |
Permanent members | |
Non-permanent members | |
United Nations Security Council resolution 638, adopted unanimously on 31 July 1989, after reaffirming resolutions 579 (1985) and 618 (1988), the Council expressed its deep concern at the prevalence in incidents of hostage-taking having grave consequences for the international community and relations between states.
United Nations Security Council resolution 579, adopted unanimously on 18 December 1985, in a meeting called by the United States, the Council expressed its deep concern at the prevalence in incidents of hostage-taking having grave consequences for the international community and relations between states.
United Nations Security Council resolution 618, adopted unanimously on 29 July 1988, after recalling Resolution 579 (1985) on hostage-taking, the Council condemned the abduction of Lieutenant-Colonel William R. Higgins and demanded his immediate release. It also urged Member States to use their influence to promote the implementation of the current resolution.
A hostage is a person who is held by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against war.
The Council recalled various General Assembly and other resolutions, condemning all incidents of hostage-taking and abductions and calling for the immediate safe release of hostages wherever they are. It also called on States to use their political influence, in accordance with the United Nations Charter, to secure the safe release of hostages and abducted persons.
The United Nations General Assembly is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), the only one in which all member nations have equal representation, and the main deliberative, policy-making, and representative organ of the UN. Its powers are to oversee the budget of the UN, appoint the non-permanent members to the Security Council, appoint the Secretary-General of the United Nations, receive reports from other parts of the UN, and make recommendations in the form of General Assembly Resolutions. It has also established numerous subsidiary organs.
The resolution also asked Member States not party to the International Convention Against the Taking of Hostages to become party to it and other treaties. Finally, the Council urged greater cooperation in devising and adopting effective measures in accordance with international law to facilitate the prosecution, prevention and punishment of all acts of hostage taking as "manifestations of international terrorism".
International law is the set of rules generally regarded and accepted in relations between nations. It serves as a framework for the practice of stable and organized international relations. International law differs from state-based legal systems in that it is primarily applicable to countries rather than to individual citizens. National law may become international law when treaties permit national jurisdiction to supranational tribunals such as the European Court of Human Rights or the International Criminal Court. Treaties such as the Geneva Conventions may require national law to conform to respective parts.
