CSS International Relations-II MCQs 2016

The principle of non-intervention is a cornerstone of modern international law, enshrined in Article 2(4) of the UN Charter and reaffirmed in the 1970 Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations. It prohibits states from coercive actions that affect the domestic politics of another sovereign state.

Liberal institutionalism argues that international institutions, such as the UN and WTO, provide frameworks that reduce uncertainty and facilitate cooperation, thereby mitigating the anarchic nature of the international system. This view contrasts with realist emphasis on power politics.

The United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on 6 August 1945, marking the first nuclear weapon used in combat. This event ushered in the nuclear age and shaped subsequent non-proliferation debates.

While the UN as a whole works on economic development (through agencies like UNDP), the Security Council's primary responsibilities are limited to peace and security, including sanctions and peacekeeping mandates. Economic development falls under the General Assembly and specialized agencies.

The Treaty of Paris, signed in 1951, created the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), integrating coal and steel production among six founding members and laying the groundwork for later European integration.

Strategic Depth is a doctrine that envisions Afghanistan as a buffer zone providing Pakistan with strategic space against India. It was articulated during the Zia regime and continues to influence Pakistan's security calculations.

R2P, endorsed by the UN in 2005, holds that sovereignty entails a responsibility to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity. Failure may justify international intervention, but not automatically military action.

South Asia hosts several protracted disputes, including India-Pakistan over Kashmir, India-China over Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh, and Bangladesh-India over enclaves, making it the region with the most unresolved territorial issues.

NAM was established in 1961 at the Belgrade Conference, aiming to preserve the autonomy of newly independent states by not aligning with either the US or Soviet blocs during the Cold War. It continues to exist, though its relevance has evolved.

The Geneva Conventions, particularly the Third Convention of 1949, set out comprehensive standards for the humane treatment of prisoners of war, including rights, protections, and repatriation procedures.

India became a full member of the SCO only in 2017; in 2016 it held observer status. The founding members include Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

Joseph S. Nye coined the term 'soft power' in his 1990 book 'Bound to Lead', describing the ability of a country to shape preferences through attraction and persuasion rather than coercion.

The Congo Crisis (1960-1965) challenged UN peacekeeping capabilities when the organization intervened to prevent the secession of Katanga and to restore order, marking its first large-scale peace operation.

Pakistan's nuclear policy is based on 'Credible Minimum Deterrence', aiming to maintain a survivable nuclear arsenal sufficient to deter aggression without engaging in an arms race for massive arsenals.

Constructivism posits that the international system is socially constructed; state interests and identities are shaped by shared ideas, norms, and discourse rather than solely material factors.

China launched the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, financing infrastructure projects across Asia, Africa, and Europe through state-owned banks and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

Chapter VII (Articles 39-51) empowers the Security Council to determine the existence of threats and to authorize measures, including sanctions and military action, even without the target state's consent.

The Doha Development Round, launched in 2001, has stalled for over a decade due to disagreements between developed and developing countries, undermining the WTO's role in liberalising trade.

Preemptive self‑defence is considered lawful only under the criteria of imminence, necessity, and proportionality, as articulated in the Caroline test and reaffirmed by the International Court of Justice.