Which of the following pairs about articles of the UN Charter is wrong?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 3:

The correct option is 3: Article 5: Resigning from membership. This pairing is incorrect because the UN Charter does not contain an article explicitly dealing with the voluntary resignation or withdrawal of a member state. When the Charter was drafted, the prevailing view was that the organization should be universal and perpetual, and therefore, no formal clause for resignation was included. However, the possibility of a state withdrawing is generally conceded by legal scholars, often based on the principle of *rebus sic stantibus* (fundamental change of circumstances), or if a member state is subject to sanctions under Article 5. Crucially, Article 5 of the UN Charter actually addresses the *Suspension of the Rights and Privileges of Membership*, not resignation. Suspension occurs when preventive or enforcement action has been taken by the Security Council against a Member State, meaning the member is prevented from exercising its rights, such as voting in the General Assembly, though it remains a member of the organization. Therefore, associating Article 5 with "Resigning from membership" is factually wrong based on the text of the Charter, making this the incorrect pair.

The incorrect option is 1:

Article 3: About original members. This pairing is factually correct, meaning it is not the wrong pair requested by the question. Article 3 explicitly defines the original members of the United Nations as the states that participated in the San Francisco Conference and signed and ratified the Charter, or the states that signed the Declaration by United Nations of January 1, 1942, and subsequently signed and ratified the Charter. This definition established the initial 51 founding members of the UN, confirming the accuracy of the description provided in Option 1. Thus, students should recognize that this statement correctly reflects the Charter's content.

The incorrect option is 2:

Article 4: Eligibilities of new members. This pairing is factually correct, making it a true statement and therefore not the answer to the question asking for the *wrong* pair. Article 4 is central to the process of admitting new members to the UN. It stipulates two key requirements: first, membership is open to all other peace-loving states which accept the obligations contained in the present Charter; and second, the state must be able and willing to carry out these obligations. Furthermore, Article 4 outlines the procedure, stating that the admission of any such state will be effected by a decision of the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council. This clearly defines the *eligibility* criteria for new members, confirming the accuracy of Option 2.

The incorrect option is 4:

Article 6: Termination of membership. This pairing is also factually correct in its description of the article's subject matter. Article 6 of the UN Charter deals with the expulsion of a Member State, which is the mechanism for the termination of membership against the will of the state. It states that a Member of the United Nations which has persistently violated the Principles contained in the present Charter may be expelled from the Organization by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council. Expulsion is the gravest sanction the UN can impose, essentially terminating the state’s membership. Since expulsion leads to the termination of membership, the description in Option 4 is correct according to the Charter's text and mechanism.