Article 51 provides for the right of countries to engage in self-defence, including collective self-defence, against an armed attack.

"Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations."

(UN Charter, Article 51) The Security Council will determine if the action is legally the "right of individual or collective self-defence", or it may appoint another UN organ to do this.

Secondly, Article 51 also states that: "Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right to individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a state."

The fact is that the capable and intelligent workman, especially if skilled, at this time provided both the main prop of middle-class social control and industrial discipline and also the most active cadres of the workers' collective self-defence.

They will solve their disputes solely by peaceful means and never use any of their weapons except for individual or collective self-defence.

The Court finds that neither these incursions nor the alleged supply of arms may be relied on as justifying the exercise of the right of collective self-defence.

The result, the 1948 Treaty of Brussels, was a 50 year pact 'for collaboration in economic, social and cultural matters, and for collective self-defence', which Britain saw as a practical basis for cooperation, but not union.

Treaty of Brussels signed by Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, providing for economic, social and cultural collaboration and collective self-defence.

"The commitment to collective self-defence embodied in the Washington Treaty was entered into in circumstances very different from those that exist now," said the statement adopted by the North Atlantic Council.