A half century has gone by since 1927. During that time, the sovereign Order of Malta has sought to adapt itself to the evolution of international life and international law. Its experience during the First World War, in which it brought aid to the wounded, the sick, the prisoners and the refugees with its medical units, ambulances, trains, aircraft and ships, enabled it to make its working methods responsive to emerging needs. In addition, the mid-century dialogue between the Order and the Catholic Church led to the acceptance of a formula put forward by the Cardinals' Commission, whereby the Holy See recognized the functional sovereignty of the Order in carrying out its international humanitarian activities. Finally, the increasing number of its members, particularly those recruited from amongst those distinguished personalities who combine a spiritual life with an intimate association with governmental circles, provides the order with an invaluable human reserve of men of thought and action who are available in case of need.

This paper, the views expressed in which are solely those of the author, was read at the International Symposium on Humanitarian Law last December, an account of which is given below, on the occasion of the Centenary of the Brussels Declaration.

The regional delegate of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for Southern Africa was in Angola from 9 to 26 October 1974. He was received by Vice-Admiral Antonio Rosa Coutinho, president of the Angolan Military Junta, and General Altino de Magalhães, chief military commander. He also met the president and members of the Red Cross in Angola.

Mr. Harry Carl Angst has recently given up his duties as honorary ICRC delegate to Japan, a position in which he had served since 1948, following his appointment as a delegate in 1943. As honorary delegate, he carried out numerous missions on behalf of prisoners of war in Japan, China, Manchuria and Okinawa and of stateless persons detained in Japan. He took part in the repatriation of Koreans from Japan to North Korea, from 1959 to 1968. In all these tasks, he displayed great qualities of intelligence, courage and devotion, for which the ICRC expressed its gratitude in conferring upon him its silver medal, in a presentation on 5 December 1974.

Mr. Jean C. Ott, delegate-general for Asia and Oceania, asked to be relieved of his duties as of 31 December 1974.

The International Committee accepted Mr. Ott's resignation with great regret, conscious of the fact that it was losing a co-worker of outstanding qualities.

Mr. Ott had carried out the tasks entrusted to him with distinction as well as competence. First a delegate and subsequently head of delegation in several countries, he was named delegate-general for Asia and Oceania in 1970. He carried out numerous missions in Asia and took on great responsibilities in Geneva in the Department of Operations. On the occasion of its general assembly on 19 December, the ICRC expressed its profound gratitude to Mr. Ott.

The ICRC announces the publication of a new work in Arabic, “Course of Five Lesson on the Geneva Conventions” by Henri Coursier, translated by the Saudi Arabian Red Crescent Society and priced at 10 Swiss francs. In order to disseminate broader understanding throughout the Arab world of the humanitarian principles and activities of the Red Cross movement, the ICRC Documentation and Dissemination Division, in cooperation with the various Red Crescent Societies, has published some 15 works in Arabic.

On the eve of the Diplomatic Conference, which is to hold its second session in Geneva at the beginning of February, we think it worth while to recall the titles of some books and documents published by the ICRC about the Geneva Conventions, their dissemination and the development of international humanitarian law.