During The Cold War And Comparison Of United Nations Peacekeeping Operation After The Cold War

The UN peacekeeping operations develop greatly with the changing international situation. It experienced successes as well as failures. The study of peacekeeping operations both during and after the cold-war period will provide a new kind of view to help the UN better develop these kinds of operations and help China take part in it more actively.The United Nations organized 13 peacekeeping operations in the cold-war period, including typical UNOC (United Nations Operation in Congo), UNFICYP (United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus) and UNIFIL(United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon). UNFICYP and UNIFIL successfully completed the mission, while UNOC ended in failure. With the end of the cold war, the world had undergone a significant change, resulted in both quantitative and qualitative changes to UN peacekeeping operations. From then on, the United Nations has undertaken 48 peacekeeping operations. Among these operations, UNTAG (United Nations Transition Assistance Group) and UNTAC (United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia) are the models of success, while UNSOM (United Nations Operation in Somalia) is a typical failure.By contrasting and analyzing the UN peacekeeping operations during and after the cold-war period, we get a conclusion that successful peacekeeping operations follow the three principles—consent, neutrality and impartiality, and no use of force—at any time. This is the rule that must be observed in peacekeeping operations. In the new world, the peacekeeping operations take on dramatic changes, especially in its neutrality and no-use-of-force principles. The UN peacekeeping operations face various challenges. Under the circumstances, the United Nations should continue to adhere to its old but useful 3 principles in peacekeeping operations to better benefit the world. As for China, it should participate in the peacekeeping operations more selectively and actively, so as to achieve its national interests, as well as keep the world peaceful and secure.