On 25 October 1986, the suspension of the South African government delegation from the Twenty-fifth International Conference of the Red Cross jeopardized the principle of universality whereby all States party to the Geneva Conventions consequently attend the Conference.

The Twenty-fifth International Conference of the Red Cross was held in Geneva from 23 to 31 October 1986. It was attended by delegations from 137 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and 113 States party to the Geneva Conventions, as well as by many observers from National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in the process of formation and from governmental and non-governmental organizations.

At the opening ceremony on 23 October, Mr. Kurt Bolliger, President of the Swiss Red Cross, which was hosting the Conference, gave a welcoming address to the delegates. He recalled that 85 years ago, in 1901, Henry Dunant had received the first Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian action. “It behoves us, particularly during this ‘International Year of Peace’, to do our utmost to show ourselves worthy of this heritage—not by making mere solemn appeals, nor by interceding in high-level politics, but through specific, daily humanitarian action which demands neither gratitude nor publicity”, declared Mr. Bolliger.

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.

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 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

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 General Assembly of the League held its sixth session from 18 to 20 October 1986 in the presence of representatives from 108 National Societies.

Throughout the entire duration of the meetings in Geneva an Information and Press Service whose members belonged to the ICRC, the League and the Swiss Red Cross Information Offices published a “Daily Bulletin” to provide the participants at the Conference with information. This Bulletin came out simultaneously in English, French and Spanish during the actual Conference itself. During meetings of the League, the Bulletin also appeared in Arabic.

The Review is happy to publish the statement by the President of the ICRC on “The International Committee of the Red Cross and the Protocols additional to the Geneva Conventions”, which was submitted to Commission I on 28 October 1986 during the discussions on the current number of signatures and ratifications of and accessions to the Additional Protocols. (See also p. 329).

The members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), meeting in Assembly on December 3 and 4, 1986, welcomed a new member: Mr. Cornelio Sommaruga, future President of the institution.

The ICRC thought that it would be useful to set down its unrivalled experience of war surgery in a manual on the subject which could be used in the training of surgeons from the ICRC itself and from National Societies who go on medical missions.

Following the decision reached on 28 October by the Twenty-fifth International Conference of the Red Cross to suspend the South African government delegation from participation in its work, the ICRC was requested by the South African authorities to suspend its activities in South Africa and to leave the country at the latest by 30 November. The ICRC delegates based in South Africa therefore made the necessary arrangements to close down the delegation and return to Geneva by that date.