Side by side with aspirations for universal peace, efforts to limit the effects of war have been made throughout all of history and in all of the world's great civilizations. Such efforts, however, have primarily taken the form of religious or moral precepts; although treaties were in fact concluded, they were limited in scope.

We have the honour to inform you that the International Committee of the Red Cross has officially recognized the Red Crescent Society of the Yemen Arab Republic. This recognition came into force on 22 April 1982 and brings to 129 the number of member Societies of the International Red Cross.

The President of the Republic of France, Mr François Mitterrand, visited on June 2 the headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross during his stay in Geneva. Mr Mitterrand was accompanied by Mrs Nicole Questiaux, Minister of National Solidarity, and Mr Jean Auroux, Minister of Labour. He was welcomed by the ICRC's President, Mr Alexandre Hay, and a former ICRC President, Mr Marcel Naville, together with members of the ICRC's Directorate. Also present were representatives from Geneva authorities and from the League of Red Cross Societies.

Pope John Paul II visited the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva on 15 June 1982, the first visit by a sovereign pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church to the ICRC. He was accompanied by Cardinals A. Casaroli and B. Gantin and numerous other church dignitaries.

The Republic of Zaire, on 3 June 1982, deposited an instrument of accession to Protocol I Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 for the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I), adopted in Geneva on 8 June 1977.

The ICRC Vice-President, Mr. Richard Pestalozzi, and the delegate general for Africa, Mr. Jean-Marc Bornet, went on a mission to Angola from 18 to 28 March. They had talks with the authorities concerning the ICRC's activities on the central Planalto and in the southern part of the country.