Which one/ones are function/power of the Security Council of UNO?
A. To investigate any dispute which might lead to international friction.
B. To recommend the admission of new Members.
C. To bring issues threatening the maintenance of peace and security to the attention of other United Nations organs.

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 4: Only A, B.

The Security Council is the United Nations organ primarily responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security. Both statements A and B accurately reflect its core functions derived from the UN Charter. Statement A, "To investigate any dispute which might lead to international friction," falls under the Security Council's mandate to determine the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression (Chapter VI, Article 34 of the UN Charter). This investigative power is crucial for early conflict resolution. Statement B, "To recommend the admission of new Members," is a shared power with the General Assembly. According to the Charter (Article 4), the admission of a new member state must be effected by a decision of the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council. Therefore, recommending new members is a mandatory function of the Security Council in this process.

The incorrect option is 1: Only A.
This option is incorrect because it overlooks the power of the Security Council to recommend the admission of new members (B). The Council must make a recommendation before the General Assembly can approve a new member. Option 1 is too narrow and incomplete regarding the Security Council's recognized powers under the UN Charter.

The incorrect option is 2: Only A, C.
This option incorrectly substitutes statement B with statement C. Statement C, "To bring issues threatening the maintenance of peace and security to the attention of other United Nations organs," is not exclusively a function of the Security Council. While the Security Council may inform other organs, the UN Charter explicitly grants the General Assembly the power to draw the attention of the Security Council to situations which are likely to endanger international peace and security (Article 11). Furthermore, the Security Council's primary duty is to *act* on these issues, not merely draw them to the attention of *other* organs.

The incorrect option is 3: Only B, C.
This option is incorrect because, as explained, statement C is not a definitive and exclusive function/power of the Security Council in the same manner as A and B. Crucially, it omits statement A, which is one of the Security Council's most fundamental powers—the power to investigate disputes and situations that might lead to international friction, a prerequisite for its role as the primary body for maintaining peace.