Eddie Collins, age 15, of Nashua, N.H., for his question:
WHAT HAPPENS IN THE U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY?
One of the six chief units of the United Nations is the General Assembly, which is made up of all of the U.N. members. Each country has one vote in the General Assembly.
Any question or any matter may be brought up for discussion by the General Assembly. This stipulation is spelled out in the U.N. Charter.
The U.N.'s General Assembly is authorized to make recommendations to various member nations and also to the Security Council, another of the U.N.'s chief units. But the group cannot make recommendations on any matter that the Security Council may have under consideration, except at the request of the council.
One of the General Assembly's important jobs is to exercise exclusive authority in determining the U.N. budget. Expenses are paid by all of the members according to an agreed upon quota. The largest contribution is made by the United States: 25 percent of the total U.N. budget. The second largest contribution is made by the U.S.S.R.: 11 percent.
According to the U.N. Charter, the General Assembly is not authorized to pass any binding resolutions. Its main job is to recommend action. The force of the recommendations comes from the simple fact that the group truly represents world public opinion. The assembly's recommendations do indeed carry a lot of weight.
One regular session of the General Assembly is held each year. The opening day for the session is the third Tuesday of September. Most of the time the session is able to adjourn by Christmas.
A majority of the U.N. members may also vote to call a special session of the General Assembly at any other time of the year.
In addition, because of the United for Peace Resolution of November, 1950, the assembly may also be called together in an emergency session on 24 hour notice by the majority of the members of the Security Council, in matters in which a council decision has been blocked by a Great Power veto. This is to allow all countries a voice in discussing matters involving world peace.
On most of the subjects facing the General Assembly, only a simple majority is necessary in order to pass a resolution.
A two thirds vote is necessary, however, when the group votes on the admission, suspension or expulsion of any member. A two thirds vote also is necessary when voting on nation membership in any of the other five U.N. organs or on budgetary matters.
Members of the General Assembly elect a president and 17 vice presidents for each session.
Each session has an agenda made up of at least 100 individual subjects to be discussed. These items are sent out to seven standing main committees. Two of the committees deal with political questions while the remaining five handle financial and economic, humanitarian and social, budgetary, and legal matters and issues involving trusteeship.