protection of war victims

François Bugnion: The International Committee of the Red Cross and the protection of war victims.

At an international conference for the protection of war victims that was held just 300 yards from where peace talks are to resume on Tuesday, the United States warned today that those responsible for war crimes in Bosnia should be judged by an international tribunal even if they are prominent figures.

Although a number of international treaties have been adopted in response to modern warfare, including the four 1949 Geneva Conventions for the Protection of War Victims, the two Additional Protocols of 1977, and various conventions regarding cultural property, biological weapons, and chemical weapons, many important aspects of air and missile operations are not included.