The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Kurt Waldheim, accompanied by the Director-General of the European Office of the United Nations, Mr. Winspeare Guicciardi, visited the headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross on 4 July 1972. He was welcomed by Mr. Marcel A. Naville, President, and several members of the Committee and Directorate.

The UN Secretary-General and the ICRC President discussed in private the work being carried out by the ICRC for the development of international humanitarian law, an undertaking with which the United Nations is closely associated. They conversed also on the functions of their respective organizations in disaster relief. In addition, Mr. Naville informed Mr. Waldheim of the ICRC current activities in the world, particularly in the Asian Sub-Continent.