We have the honour to inform you of the official recognition of the Guinea-Bissau Red Cross by the International Committee of the Red Cross. This recognition, which took effect on 27 August 1986, brings to 138 the number of National Societies members of the International Red Cross.

Henry Dunant first came up against the problem of war at the battle of Solferino. The impact of the experience remained in his memory for ever and decided the course of his life. Spurred on by a deep repugnance for violence, he then set out on the long road which would lead him to propound ways and means first to protect victims of war, then to restrict the circumstances wherein war could arise, and finally to abolish war altogether. These three approaches—protection, restriction and abolition—complemented each other; they were not alternatives. To Henry Dunant's way of thinking they formed a cohesive system aimed at curbing the excesses of war while at the same time preventing its appearance and eradicating its causes.

It was with great sorrow that the ICRC heard of the death on 31 May 1986 of Mr. Rodolfo Olgiati, honorary member of the ICRC.

Born in Lugano in 1905, Mr. Olgiati was a graduate in mathematics and physics of the Federal Polytechnic School and a former student of Italian language and literature at the University of Perugia. He taught in several boarding-schools in Germany and Great Britain before going to Spain, where he was in charge of the Œuvre suisse de secours aux enfants (aid to children) from 1937 to 1939. He was also the founder of the Cartel suisse de secours aux enfants victimes de la guerre (for aid to child war victims), Director of the Don suisse, later to become known as Swissaid, and President of the Office central suisse d'aide aux réfugiés.

The Conference held its first plenary meeting immediately after the opening ceremony. One minute of silence was observed in tribute to the recently deceased President of Mozambique, Mr. Samora Machel.

Mr. Alexandra Hay, President of the ICRC, accompanied by Mr. Michel Amiguet, deputy delegate-general of the ICRC for Asia and the Pacific, visited Pakistan between 11 and 17 November 1985.

In Islamabad, Mr. Hay had discussions with the Pakistan Prime Minister, Mr. Mohamad Kahn Junejo, and thanked him for the support provided by Pakistan for the ICRC's humanitarian work for the victims of the Afghan conflict. The discussions also provided an opportunity to make an overall examination of the ICRC's main activities throughout the world and highlight the difficulties the institution encounters principally because of the internal and lengthy nature of most present-day conflicts. The ratification of the Protocols additional to the Geneva Conventions was also discussed during this meeting.

The Assembly of the International Committee of the Red Cross, in its meeting of 5 June 1986, appointed Mr. André Ghelfi as a member of the Executive Board. He will take up his duties at the meeting of the Executive Board on 1 October 1986.

Mr. André Ghelfi has been a member of the ICRC Assembly since 9 May 1985.

The Kingdom of Belgium, on 20 May 1986, ratified the Protocols Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, relating to the protection of victims of international armed conflicts (Protocol I) and non-international armed conflicts (Protocol II), adopted in Geneva on 8 June 1977.

We have the honour to inform you that the International Committee of the Red Cross has officially recognized the Red Crescent Society of the United Arab Emirates. This recognition, which took effect on 27 August 1986, brings to 139 the number of National Societies members of the International Red Cross.

The Council of Delegates, which is attended by representatives from the National Societies, the ICRC and the League, met on 22 October 1986 under the chairmanship of Mr. Alexandre Hay, President of the ICRC.

The Assembly of the International Committee of the Red Cross has welcomed three new members: Mrs. Renée Guisan, Mr. Daniel Frei and Mr. Alain Rossier, while taking leave of four active members: Mr. Olivier Long and Mr. Victor Umbricht (both of whom have retired for reasons of age), Mrs. Marion Bovée-Rothenbach and Mr. Gilbert Etienne.

The Assembly also granted leave of absence to Mr. Peter Arbenz in view of his new duties as the Swiss Government's delegate on refugee matters.

ICRC President Alexandre Hay, accompanied by the ICRC Delegate General for the Middle East and North Africa, travelled to Rabat on 28 June to have talks with King Hassan II of Morocco on humanitarian issues related to the Western Sahara conflict.

After preliminary discussions with Foreign Affairs Minister Filali, Mr. Skalli, who was formerly Ambassador in Geneva and is now the head of the political department at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, and other Moroccan government officials, Mr. Hay was received by the King in the company of the Foreign Affairs Minister and a high ranking Army officer.

In July and August the ICRC continued its attempts to implement an aid programme for the victims of the conflict situation in southern Sudan. An ICRC team went to Wau on 31 July to organize an airlift. Forty tonnes of relief supplies were transported on board three flights from Entebbe (Uganda) to Wau on 14 and 15 August; on the second of these two days the flights were suspended because of threats from the SPLA to shoot down any aircraft flying over the territories controlled by its troops without its authorization. The 40 tonnes of relief supplies which got through before the blockade were distributed between 19 and 22 August to starving people living in the camps for displaced people. Since the airlift was interrupted, the ICRC has made numerous approaches to the parties to the conflict, particularly the SPLA, in order to be allowed to recommence its humanitarian work.

The Twenty-fifth International Conference of the Red Cross,

having taken note of the ICRC's Annual Reports since 1981, the five-year report covering 1981 to 1985 and the half-yearly report for 1986 presented to the Conference by the ICRC and having heard the report on respect for international humanitarian law in armed conflicts, delivered by the President of the ICRC,

observing with concern the increase in the number of ongoing armed conflicts and the very long duration of several of the conflicts

Accepting an invitation by the Presidents of the Senate and the Congress of Spanish Members of Parliament, Dr. Athos Gallino, a staff member of the ICRC, went to Spain between 3 and 5 December 1985. This mission had a two-fold aim: one to bring about an increased awareness of the ICRC and the other to meet Mr Leocadio Marín, the new President of the Spanish Red Cross.

Two information meetings about the ICRC and its work took place: one in the Senate and the other in Congress. The participants displayed a keen interest and asked numerous questions.

Elected United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Jean-Pierre Hocké resigned on 1 January 1986 as Member of the Directorate and Director of Operational Activities at the ICRC. After his departure, the ICRC Assembly modified the international structure of the Directorate, which is now composed of Mr. Jacques Moreillon, Member of the Directorate, Director General, and Mr. André Pasquier, Member of the Directorate, Director of Operations.

On depositing the instrument of ratification by Belgium of the Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I), done at Geneva on 8 June 1977, the Belgian Government makes the following declarations of interpretation:

The Belgian Government, in view of the travaux préparatories for the international instrument herewith ratified, wishes to emphasize that the Protocol was established to broaden the protection conferred by humanitarian law solely when conventional weapons are used in armed conflicts, without prejudice to the provisions of international law relating to the use of other types of weapons.

The Council of Delegates,

having taken note of the Report of the Commission on the Red Cross, Red Crescent and Peace on its activities since the Council of Delegates of 1985,

1. thanks the Commission for its works and the proposals which it made regarding its composition,

The ICRC learned with great sorrow of the death of Mr. Marc Blaser, a radio operator in Angola, on 16 December 1985.

Twenty-one years old and single, Marc Blaser went to Angola in October 1985 on his first mission for the ICRC. In the evening of 16 December, while in the neighbourhood of Lobito, he was killed in an armed attack. An inquiry is in progress to determine the exact circumstances of this tragic incident.

Although he had only recently joined the institution, Marc Blaser was highly thought of by all his colleagues for his good nature and his competence. The ICRC is grieved by the loss of this young delegate and has expressed to his parents and friends its profound sympathy.

From 2 to 11 February, Mr. Alexandre Hay, President of the ICRC, accompanied by Mr. S. Nessi, Head of the Financing Division, visited Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia in that order.

In Bahrain, where he stayed until 4 February, Mr. Hay was received by Emir Issa Ben Selman Al-Khalifa and had discussions with Sheik Mohammad Ben Moubarak Ben Hamad Al-Khalifa, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Ali Mohammad Fakhro, Minister for Education (who is also President of the Bahrain Red Crescent) and with other senior staff members of the National Society.