The Henry Dunant Institute is inaugurating its collection of scientific works with an important book by F. Kalshoven which is reviewed in this issue. We are pleased to publish below a paper which this writer delivered at the International Congress on Humanitarian Law in San Remo last September. (Ed.)

On 1 March 1971, the Conference of Red Cross experts on the reaffirmation and development of international humanitarian law applicable in armed conflict opened at the Peace Palace in The Hague. The Conference, of which the significance was explained in our March issue, and which continued until 6 March, was convened by the International Committee of the Red Cross and organized with the valuable co-operation of the Netherlands Red Cross Society. Sixty-nine delegates, representing 34 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, participated in the session.

The opening meeting, under the Chairmanship of the Jonkheer Kraijenhoff, President of the Netherlands Red Cross Society, took place in the main hall of the International Court of Justice, in the presence of H.E. Mr. C. H. F. Polak, Minister of Justice, Mr. V. G. M. Marijnen, Burgomaster of The Hague, Mr. Marcel A. Naville, President of the ICRC, Mr. Marc Schreiber, Director of the U.N. Human Rights Division, Mr. Nedim Abut, Under Secretary-General of the League of Red Cross Societies, and many diplomatic representatives

A number of speakers took the floor. Mr. Marijnen bade the participants welcome; Mr. Schreiber presented the greetings and good wishes of the United Nations Secretary-General, underlining the excellent co-operation between the United Nations and the ICRC. The Presidents of the Netherlands Red Cross and of the ICRC each delivered an address, the main passages of which we reproduce below, not omitting to mention that Mr. Naville expressed the Geneva institution's gratitude to the Netherlands Red Cross which played a determining role in the organizing of the Conference.

On the occasion of the Conference of Red Cross Experts on the reaffirmation and development of international humanitarian law applicable in armed conflicts, held at The Hague, Mr. Marcel A. Naville, President of the International Committee, accompanied by Mr. R. Gallopin, member of the ICRC, and Mr. A. van Emden, Director-General of the Netherlands Red Cross, called on 3 March 1971 upon Mr. P. J. S. de Jong, Prime Minister of the Netherlands Government.

Mr. Hans Bachmann's and Mr. Jacques Freymond's terms as Vice-Presidents of the International Committee having expired, in accordance with the rules of procedure, the March plenary meeting of the ICRC decided to extend them until the end of June. After that date Mr. Harald Huber, federal court judge, and Mr. Jean Pictet, Chairman of the ICRC Legal-Commission, would assume office as the new Vice-Presidents. However, Mr. Jacques Freymond, who was not present at the March meeting, declined the extension of his term in office, so that his place will be taken by Mr. Pictet with immediate effect.

In our January issue we announced Mr. Martin Bodmer's resignation from the ICRC, of which he had been a member since 1940, and his election to honorary membership. Now we have regretfully to inform our readers of Mr. Bodmer's death on 22 March 1971. We have already summarized Mr. Bodmer's important work for the Committee over many years. During the funeral, Mr. M. A. Naville, ICRC President, delivered an address; the extracts which are quoted below express better than any other comment the significance of this loss for the International Committee:

The International Committee of the Red Cross also is in mourning. With Martin Bodmer's death it loses a companion of thirty years' standing, a colleague and a friend who, throughout that long period, ceaselessly offered the institution the resources of his culture, loyalty and goodwill and who always assumed his share of the Committee's responsibilities.