We are very pleased to publish this report by Mrs. Diallo on research into the correlations between the principles of international humanitarian law and the humanitarian principles underlying African traditions. In earlier issues of International Review, various authors have drawn attention to the fact that historically, in Islamic countries, in India and elsewhere in the Far East, in a variety of ethical doctrines and in many different types of civilization, thoughts have been expressed which compare with those of the Red Cross—leading to the conclusion that they arise from aspirations common to most of mankind. It is particularly appropriate therefore to disclose certain concordances between them and to discover, in all these different places, a unity of view and of teaching in ethical and social affairs.

The second session of the Conference of Government Experts on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons opened in Lugano's Congress Centre on 28 January 1976. The first session took place in Lucerne in 1974, when substantial useful work was accomplished. Because of the complexity of the problems arising from some of the suggestions and proposals put forward, and the acknowledged need to examine in depth all the data at present available and to pursue discussions which should lead eventually to wide agreement on possible prohibition or restriction of use, the experts considered that it would be advisable for the ICRC to convoke a second session of the Conference of Government Experts.

Mr. Hans Bachmann having decided not to stand for re-election to the International Committee, the Assembly conferred honorary membership on him at its meeting of 15 January 1976.

The work of the ICRC in Nazi concentration camps. —The ICRC has been approached from different quarters following recent publications which purported to reveal the total number of deaths which occurred in Nazi concentration camps and stated systematically that the figures were based on statistics attributed to the ICRC.

In a declaration dated 25 August 1975 which reached the Swiss Government on 15 October 1975, the Government of the State of Qatar informed the Swiss Federal Council of its accession to the four Geneva Conventions of 1949. This accession takes effect on 15 April 1976 and brings the number of States parties to the Conventions to 140.

Under the title ICRC Bulletin, the International Committee of the Red Cross is putting out, as from February of this year, a publication which will come out on the first Monday of each month. It is to take the place of ICRC in Action, the last number of which was issued in January, with the difference, however, that its contents will not be restricted to an account of the ICRC's humanitarian activities nor will they be of an official nature.

Comte Maurice de Madre, who was a French citizen, died on 25 December 1970. He left a will in which the generous sentiments he had displayed towards the Red Cross for very many years were amply demonstrated. It was in 1953 that Comte de Madre met the then President of the ICRC, Mr. Paul Ruegger. On many later occasions he mentioned to Mr. Ruegger, to Mr. Leopold Boissier who succeeded Mr. Ruegger as President, and to several Members and Directors of the International Committee, that he was considering bequeathing to the Red Cross a part of his estate.

636. — Règlement sur l'usage de l'emblème de la croix rouge, du croissant rouge et du lion-et-soleil rouge par les Sociétés nationales; adopté par la 20° Conférence internationale de la Croix-Rouge, Vienne, 1965. 1966; in-8, 10 p. Fr. 1.50.