The World : U.N. Contras Move Vetoed

The United States used its veto in the U.N. Security Council to block the second demand in three months that it comply with a World Court ruling against U.S. aid to Nicaraguan contras. Eleven other members voted for the resolution, offered by a group of nonaligned states, with Britain, France and Thailand abstaining. On June 27, the International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled that U.S. aid to the rebels fighting Nicaragua’s leftist Sandinista government violates international law. The United States said in advance that it did not recognize the court’s jurisdiction in the matter and would not abide by the decision. Because the World Court has no enforcement powers, Nicaragua sought action by the Security Council to implement the decision.