From 14 to 26 October 1985 representatives from 130 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (approximately 500 delegates) attended the statutory meetings, the IVth session of the General Assembly of the League and the Council of Delegates of the International Red Cross, held in the premises of the International Labour Office in Geneva.

In his opening address the President of the League, Mr. Enrique de la Mata, paid tribute to the thousands of volunteers for their very effective work over the past two years in times of natural and man-made disasters. He said to the delegates, “We must try and improve our services to the community to the point of perfection”, and encouraged them to speak out freely on failures and shortcomings.

The Council of Delegates is the statutory body of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (International Red Cross) composed of delegates of National Societies, delegates of the International Committee (ICRC) and delegates of the League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. It met in Geneva on 25 October 1985 at the headquarters of the International Labour Office (ILO).

The Council of Delegates,

Mindful of the decisive contribution made by the Protocols additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 to the development of international humanitarian law and, in particular, to the protection of the civilian population against the harmful effects of armed conflicts

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Islamic Federal Republic of the Comoros deposited with the Swiss Government, on 21 November 1985, its instrument of accession to the four Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 and to the Additional Protocols I and II adopted on 8 June 1977.

On 21 November 1985, the Holy See deposited with the Swiss Government an instrument of ratification of Protocols I and II additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 relating to the protection of the victims of international and non-international armed conflicts, adopted in Geneva on 8 June 1977. This instrument of ratification was accompanied by a declaration reproduced hereafter.

By ratifying the two Protocols additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, relating to the Protection of Victims of International (Protocol I) and Non-International (Protocol II) Armed Conflicts and adopted in Geneva on 8 June 1977, the Holy See wishes, first of all, to acknowledge the merits and the positive results obtained by the “Diplomatic Conference on the Reaffirmation and Development of International Humanitarian Law Applicable in Armed Conflicts”, in which it played an active part.

On 13 December 1985 the Eastern Republic of Uruguay deposited with the Swiss Government an instrument of accession to the Protocols additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 and 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.

On 16 December 1985 the Republic of Suriname deposited with the Swiss Government an instrument of accession to the Protocols additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 and 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.

During November and December 1985, ICRC activities in Angola increased. This period of the year being between two harvests, the nutritional condition of the population on the Planalto seriously deteriorated. Distributions of food were therefore resumed from October onwards in most townships in the provinces of Huambo and Benguela, and from 18 November in the province of Bié where they had been suspended two months earlier after an ICRC aircraft had been damaged by a mine at Chitembo.