You have once again kindly invited the International Committee of the Red Cross to take part in your annual conference. We greatly appreciate the honour shown to our institution and the expression of confidence which your invitation represents, and I wish to thank you most sincerely.

I should like to thank you most sincerely for giving the International Committee of the Red Cross an opportunity to speak at the important debate which marks the beginning of the annual session of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner's programme and to express our satisfaction at the harmonious collaboration which has been established with the UNHCR, where we are always sure of finding understanding, support and determination to reach a solution for the problems confronting our two institutions.

I am very honoured and pleased to be given the opportunity to explain to you the role of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and some of the logistical aspects of its assistance activities. No doubt many of you know about the Red Cross in general but it might be of interest to you to hear about the special position and role of the ICRC in the Red Cross movement and among all the many other humanitarian organizations. I shall afterwards explain what are the logistical difficulties the ICRC must overcome in its assistance activities.

Should the colours of the Red Cross emblem be standardized?

This seems to give concern to some members of the Red Cross movement and the ICRC has been asked the same question on several occasions. One proposal was that the colours of the emblem be defined scientifically and that only those shades which comply with the standards thus adopted be used for our movement's armbands, flags, distinctive signs, for the writing paper and the publications.

The President of the ICRC, Mr. Alexandre Hay, accompanied by the ICRC Director of Operational Activities, Mr. Jean-Pierre Hocké, was in the USSR from 16 to 19 March. The ICRC delegate-general for Asia, Mr. Jean de Courten, and the regional delegate, Mr. F. Zen Ruffinen, had already arrived in Moscow on 14 March.

At its meeting on 3 March, the Assembly of the International Committee of the Red Cross appointed as Vice-President Mr Victor H. Umbricht, who has been a member of the ICRC since 1970.

The Vice-President of the Republic of India and President of the Indian Red Cross Society, Mr. Hidayatullah, visited on 25 February the League of Red Cross Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva.

On 15 February 1983 the United Republic of Tanzania deposited with the Swiss Government its instruments of accession to Protocols I and II additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, relating to the protection of victims of international and non-international armed conflicts and adopted in Geneva on 8 June 1977.

On 7 March 1983 the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe deposited with the Swiss Government its instrument of accession to the four Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 for the protection of victims of war.

On 9 March 1983, the United Arab Emirates deposited with the Swiss Government two instruments of accession to Protocols I and II additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the protection of victims of international and non-international armed conflicts, adopted in Geneva on 8 June 1977.

Mexico, on 10 March 1983, deposited with the Swiss Government an instrument of accession to Protocol I additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 and relating to the protection of victims of international armed conflicts, which was adopted in Geneva on 8 June 1977.

The People's Republic of Mozambique deposited with the Swiss Government, on 14 March 1983, an instrument of accession to the four Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 for the protection of war victims. Pursuant to the final provisions of the Conventions, these will come into force for the People's Republic of Mozambique on 14 September 1983. The People's Republic of Mozambique is the 154th State to become party to the Geneva Conventions.

The ICRC's humanitarian action on the central Angolan plateau (the Planalto) started again at the end of January, after having been suspended for four months because of the dangerous circumstances.