The evolution of the role of the UN Secretary General in the maintenance of international peace and security, 1946-1992

This thesis examines the evolution of the role of the UN Secretary-General in the maintenance of international peace and security. The objective is to examine the role played by the Secretary-General in the rejuvenation of the UN as the cold war came to a close. During this transitional phase in international relations it is argued that the Secretary- General's role in the maintenance of international peace and security developed within a conceptual 'partnership for peace' with the Security Council. The role of the Secretary- General in this 'partnership' was built on the opportunities which presented themselves as a result of Security Council paresis during the cold war. In section one, two periods in the evolution of the Secretary-General's role during the cold war are identified. The first period is one of, 'aggrandisement, ' which encompasses the tenures of Trygve Lie (1946-1952) and Dag HarnmarskJ61d (1952-1961). The second is a period of, 'consolidation, ' which encompasses the tenures of U Tbant (1961-1972) and Kurt Waldheirn (1972-1982). During these two periods it is argued that the conceptual and practical limits to the Secretary-General's role in the maintenance of international peace and security were extended beyond the role envisaged by those who framed the Charter. It is argued that the Secretary-General's role as a diplomatic intermediary and peacekeeper developed on the basis of attributes specific to the cold war context, (impartiality, consent, and the non use of force). During the transitional period examined in section two, these attributes provided a compliment, foil, or alternative to the Security Council's political, economic, and military capacity to enforce decisions. The evolution of the Secretary-General's role since 1946, and the emergence of a 'partnership for peace' are explained at three levels of analysis: in terms of the prevailing systemic conditions and environmental trends; the functioning of the UN organisation; and the personality and approach of the incumbents. In the light of the findings reported in sections one and two, it is argued that the Secretary-General's role in the maintenance of international peace within a 'partnership for peace' provides a conceptual guide for the role of the Secretary-General 'in a transformed world.