The term “humanitarian law” applies to those rules of international law which aim to protect persons suffering from the evils of armed conflicts as well as, by extension, objects not directly serving military purposes.

There is therefore an essential difference between humanitarian law and “human rights”, for the latter do not apply only in time of armed conflict.

On 5 July 1984 Mr. Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, Secretary-General of the United Nations Organization, presented the United Nations Peace Medal to Mr. Alexandre Hay, President of the ICRC.

This high distinction is a mark of esteem and reflects honour on the ICRC and on the Red Red Cross as a whole.

Readers may recall that the U.N.O. awarded its Human Rights Prize to the ICRC in 1978.

On 10 July 1984, Mr. Fikre Selassie Wogderess, Secretary General of the Ethiopian Provisional Military Administrative Council and Vice-Chairman of the Council of Ministers, accompanied by Dr. Dawit Zawde, Chairman of the Ethiopian Red Cross, was received at ICRC headquarters by Mr. Maurice Aubert, Vice-President, and Mr. Jean-Pierre Hocké, Director for Operational Activities. The joint ICRC/Ethiopian Red Cross assistance action for displaced persons, under way since 1980, and ICRC protection activities for Somali prisoners of war in Ethiopia were discussed during the meeting.

On 29 June 1984, Belize deposited with the Swiss Government an instrument of accession to the four Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 and to the two Additional Protocols adopted on 8 June 1977.

In accordance with their provisions, the Geneva Conventions and the Protocols will come into force for Belize on 29 December 1984, six months after the date of registration.

The Republic of Guinea deposited with the Swiss Government, on 11 July 1984, an instrument of accession to the four Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 and to the Additional Protocols I and II adopted on 8 June 1977.

Pursuant to their provisions, the Conventions of Geneva and the Protocols will enter into force for the Republic of Guinea on 11 January 1985, i.e. six months after the date of registration.

The Central African Republic deposited with the Swiss Government, on 17 July 1984, an instrument of accession to the Protocols Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, relating to the protection of victims of international armed conflicts (Protocol 1) and non-international armed conflicts (Protocol II), adopted in Geneva on 8 June 1977.

Pursuant to their provisions, the Protocols will enter into force for the Central African Republic on 17 January 1985.

This is the 44th State to become party to Protocol I and the 38th to Protocol II.

On 24 February 1984, the French Republic deposited with the Swiss Government an instrument of accession to Protocol II only (see International Review, March–April 1984 edition). The instrument was accompanied by the following communication; the original French text, which was transmitted to us by the depository government, is given in translation below.

Mr. Jean-Pierre Hocké, director for Operational Activities, accompanied by Mr. Jean-Marc Bornet, ICRC delegate general for Africa, visited Luanda on 6 June where he was received by the President of the Republic, Mr. Dos Santos. He had talks with the Minister and Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Ministers for Health and for Planning, the Secretary of State for Social Affairs and the Vice-President of the “Angolan Red Cross”. The talks dealt with the setting up of an emergency programme of assistance for displaced civilian people victims of the events.