The Security Council has the greatest power in the UN. The main function of it is to maintain international peace and restore peace when conflicts arise. Its decisions are binding on all UN members. The Security Council has the power to define what is a threat to security, to determine how the UN should respond, and to enforce its decisions by ordering UN members to take certain actions. The Security Council arranges conferences whenever there is a threat to peace. A representative from each member country who sits on the Council must be available at all times so that the Council Can meet at a moment's notice. The Security Council also frequently meets at the request of a UN member — often a nation with a grievance about another nation's actions. The Security Council has 15 members five of which hold permanent seats. The Assembly elects the other ten members for two-year terms. The five permanent members ( the United States, Britain, France, Russia, and China) have the most power. These nations were the winning powers at tile end of World WarⅡ, and they still represent the bulk of the world's military might. Decisions of the Council require nine votes. But any one of the permanent members can veto an important decision. This authority is known as the veto right of the great powers. As a result, the decision is effective only when its permanent members can reach an agreement. The Council has a variety of ways it can try to resolve conflicts among countries. Usually the Council's first step is to encourage the countries to settle their disagreements without violence. The Council can mediate a dispute or recommend guidelines for a settlement. It can send peacekeeping troops into a distressed area. If war breaks out ,the Council can call for a ceasefire. It can enforce its decisions by imposing economic sanctions on a country ,or through joint military action. The Security Council is an organization that______.