ICRC CELEBRATES 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF GENEVA CONVENTIONS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
12.08.2009 11:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC)
celebrates the 60th anniversary of 4 Geneva Conventions signed on
August 12, 1949. Committee calls on states and armed groups to abide
by agreements more strictly. It also plans to introduce its views on
further development of international humanitarian law, ICRC Armenian
office’s delegation reported to a PanARMENIAN.Net correspondent.

Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols constitute the
core of international humanitarian law (IHL), imposing constraints
on tools and methods of waging war. The world’s 194 countries are
parties to those conventions.

ICRC calls on states and armed groups not belonging to any state
to demonstrate political will towards adhering to legal norms that
ensure a legal status.

"We conduct regular on-site observation of IHL violations, which range
from mass displacement of civilians to indiscriminate attacks and
ill-treatment to military hostages," ICRC President Jacob Kellenberger
said. "Even war has certain limits, and if existing norms had been
observed more frequently, sufferings caused by armed conflicts could
have been avoided to a greater extent. There are also positive moments:
many of those violations are no longer left unattended. Those culpable
are held accountable more frequently, and that’s really good."

"Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols create a more
active legal base for protecting civilians and sick persons. Those
agreements contain ICRC’s mandate to humanitarian activity which
includes visiting hostages, organizing assistance operations, reuniting
separated relatives and during armed conflicts etc."

"Because of recent years’ armed conflicts which had a complicated
nature and difficulties in making distinction between combatants
and civilians, as well as such phenomena as terrorism and asymmetric
war, there were certain doubts as to IHL’s importance," Kellenberger
said. "IHL principles still remain actual, and the main problem is
to ensure stricter adherence to law."

"In the meantime, it is required to clarify a number of key notions
concerning present-day armed conflicts and elaborate certain norms
which are not yet accomplished," he added. "Besides, it would be
desirable to develop certain spheres of right, particularly those
concerned with international armed conflicts. ICRC’s role also consists
in providing advice and recommendations on changes and clarifications
considered important from humanitarian viewpoint."