Ever since international humanitarian law (IHL) was first codified the States, as contracting parties, have undertaken to adopt every measure necessary to implement their obligations under the relevant treaties. The duty to ensure implementation derives from the customary rule whereby the parties to a treaty must carry out its provisions in good faith. In addition, the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977 set forth special means of implementation which strengthen and specify this customary rule and apply from the moment a treaty enters into force. One such provision is Art. 6 of Protocol I, entitled “Qualified persons”.

Historical events since 1939 and the only partially completed codification of the law of air warfare have made it one of the most controversial areas of the law of war. Though Protocol I additional to the Geneva Conventions does contain provisions governing air warfare, it has not yet assumed its due significance owing to the hesitancy shown in ratifying it. All the more importance must therefore be attributed to the historical development of such rules.

At its latest meeting on 20 and 21 January 1993, the Assembly of the International Committee of the Red Cross appointed two new members, Mr. Jean-François Aubert and Mr. Josef Feldmann. Their appointment brings the membership of the Committee, which is composed exclusively of Swiss citizens, to 21.

On 20 November 1992 ICRC President Cornelio Sommaraga made a statement to the United Nations General Assembly during the debate on strengthening the coordination of humanitarian emergency assistance (text published in this issue of the Review, pp. 49–56).

The end of the cold war raised hopes for a more peaceful world. While in the new climate of international relations tension has indeed eased in several areas of conflict, violence has flared up in other parts of the world and is today claiming not thousands but millions of victims on every continent.

Those who look after people injured by anti-personnel mines and who, day after day, witness the suffering caused by these pernicious weapons, those who produce artificial limbs to help maimed children as they try to cope with their disability all ask themselves what can be done to put an end to this terrible scourge.