First of all I would like to thank the North Atlantic Council most warmly for inviting me to speak at such a significant moment in history. We are approaching the end of a year marked by the 50th anniversary of the 1949 Geneva Conventions, and indeed of NATO, as well as the eve of a new millennium. This is also a time for assessment of the Balkan crisis, an issue taken very seriously by the entire international community, including NATO, and including the ICRC. Finally, as you probably know, this is also a special time for me personally, as in a few days I will be handing over the presidency of the ICRC to my successor, Mr Jakob Kellenberger. I have held this post for 12 years, and I am now coming to the end of my third presidential mandate.