Contemporary political analyses and studies concerning Islam often bear the mark of ethical values and judgements that obtain in the cultural context of the authors.

In this respect, two main tendencies can be discerned. The first, which we might call “Western-centred”, is to be found in the works of specialists in Oriental or Islamic studies who have been trained in the West and are thence impregnated with its culture. When analysing Islam, they judge it on the basis of the moral or political norms pertaining in the West. The second, which could be characterised as “apologetic”, generally finds its reflection in the writings of Moslem thinkers who, reacting against the first school's attacks on Islam, try to glorify it and, in particular, set out to identify in Islam all the cultural notions and inventions of the modern world, in other words, the Western world. According to this second school, Islam is, for example, the inventor and disseminator of democratic government, socialism, the separation of powers, human rights and humanitarian law.

The Red Cross is independent, the Proclamation states, in simple and lapidary terms. The statement of the conditions for recognition of new National Societies (Point 10) refers to political, religious and economic independence.

The President of the Hellenic Republic Mr. Constantin Tsatsos visited the ICRC on 19 March. He was received by the ICRC President Mr. Alexandra Hay, members of the International Committee, the ICRC directors and leading officials of the League of Red Cross Societies.

From 27 January to 6 February, the President of the ICRC, Mr. Alexandra Hay, went to Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. He was accompanied by Mr. Serge Nessi, head of the Financing Division, and Mr. Jean-Marc Bornet, regional delegate. This was the first official visit paid by an ICRC President to that part of the Arab world

The ICRC has appointed Mr. Ulrich Wasser to the post of director of the Central Tracing Agency as from 1 March to succeed Mr. Pierre Basset who has reached retirement age.

On the occasion of its fifttieth anniversary, the Geneva International Motor Show has donated to the ICRC a heavy-duty ambulance specially equipped for difficult missions. It was delivered on 20 February to the President of the ICRC by Mr. Francois Peyrot, President of the Motor Show.

During the past year, over 6,000 persons visited the ICRC. Most of the visitors came in parties who had given advance notice of their desire to visit the ICRC and for whom a two-hour tour had been prepared. Visits included every time a talk, followed by a film or a multivision display, on the work of the ICRC and the Central Tracing Agency.

On 15 February the ICRC sent some thirty governments and National Red Cross Societies an appeal for twenty million Swiss francs to finance its humanitarian activities in the Continent of Africa for the first half of 1980.