In 1965, we announced Mr. Jean Pictet's appointment as reader in international humanitarian law, and added that the University of Geneva was one of the first seats of higher learning to include that subject in its programme.

At the end of December 1973, an ICRC delegate was in the People's Republic of the Congo, where he met Government authorities and members of the “Congolese Red Cross”. He presented the Society with a donation of 4,300 Swiss francs towards the development of its activities. A similar donation was made for the purchase of medicaments, mattresses, beds and kitchen utensils for detainees in the Brazzaville central prison.

The International Review has several times described the work done by the ICRC in rendering humanitarian assistance to victims of the 1971 events in the Asian sub-continent. That assistance was for civilians as well as for prisoners of war and civilian internees, and it was rendered in various ways. A detailed article in our April 1974 issue described the repatriation of 250,000 persons in the Asian sub-continent, with the co-operation of the ICRC.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has received from the Federal Political Department in Berne a communication informing it that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman, in its letter of 23 January 1974, has notified its accession to the four Geneva Conventions of August 12, 1949.

The Conference of Government Experts on Weapons that may Cause Unnecessary Suffering or have Indiscriminate Effects, meeting in Lucerne under the auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross since 24 September 1974, closed on 18 October. It was attended by about 150 experts from some fifty countries, representatives of national liberation movements and of organizations such as the United Nations, the World Health Organization (WHO), National Red Cross Societies, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the International Confederation of Former Prisoners of War (ICFPW), and the NGO Special Committee on Disarmament.

From 8 to 23 May 1974, the ICRC delegate-general for Africa, accompanied by two other delegates—one of them a doctor—visited the 330 persons detained in Rhodesia under the emergency regulations. The three ICRC delegates went to places of detention at Salisbury, Chikurubi, Marandellas, Wankie, Que Que, Wha Wha, Gwelo, Hokonui Ranch, Sengwe and Buffalo Range. As usual, they talked freely and without witnesses with detainees of their choice. The delegates provided the detainees with relief supplies.

Before the existence of the Red Cross and the Geneva Conventions, any soldier fallen into enemy hands was entirely at his captor's mercy. Now the Third 1949 Geneva Convention relative to the treatment of prisoners of war—recognized by 133 States—clearly lays down how he must be treated during captivity.

Dr. Eric Martin, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, was in Bulgaria from 6 to 12 September 1974, as the guest of the Bulgarian Red Cross. He was accompanied by the ICRC delegate-general for Europe and North America, Mr. Melchior Borsinger.

Dr. Martin was greeted on his arrival on 6 September by Dr. Kiril Ignatov, President of the Bulgarian Red Cross, Mr. George Gospodinov, First Vice-President, Dr. Mincho Nikov, Vice-President, Professor Nikolov, a member of the Central Committee Executive Committee, and by Dr. Kancho Doskov, and Mr. Pouchkarov, Head and Deputy Head of the External Relations Department. He was later received in audience by Mr. Stanko Todorov, Premier of the Council of Ministers. The following day, after having been received in audience by Mr. Peter Mladenov, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Martin went to the headquarters of the Bulgarian Red Cross Central Committee.

In its issues of August, September and October 1974, the International Review published some information regarding the ICRC's humanitarian tasks accomplished in Cyprus. The various aspects of this action and its development are described in the following article.

On 19 February 1974, at a ceremony that took place at the headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Dr. Eric Martin, President of the ICRC, presented the ICRC silver medal to Mr. Leo Biaggi de Blasys, ICRC delegate in North Italy for the past thirty years.

Miss Marjorie Duvillard, whose term of office as a member of the ICRC ended in December 1973, declined re-election as a member or honorary member owing to her heavy professional activities. At its meeting on 17 January 1974, the International Committee noted Miss Duvillard's decision with regret and expressed its warm gratitude for the notable services she had rendered the Red Cross.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has issued its Annual Report for 1973, in which it describes the work accomplished by its delegates in the field and its efforts in the sphere of international humanitarian law. The Report also contains an outline of the ICRC's financial situation.

During April 1974, the ICRC delegation in Chile continued its activities on behalf of detainees and their families.

ICRC delegates and doctors visited some twenty places of detention and saw more than 2,800 detainees. As in previous months, the ICRC provided the detainees with material relief consisting mainly of medicaments, blankets, mattresses and working implements.

On the occasion of their visit to the Belgian community in Geneva, Their Majesties the King and Queen of Belgium called on 6 June 1974 at the headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross.