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Convention (I) for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field. Geneva, 12 August 1949.

Commentary - Art. 48. Chapter VIII : Execution of the convention

[p.350] ARTICLE 48

-- TRANSLATIONS. LAWS IN APPLICATION

Under this Article the Contracting Parties will have to communicate to one another the official translations of the Convention, as well as the laws and regulations they make to ensure its application. The communication will be made in time of peace through the Swiss Federal Council, as the depositary of the Geneva Conventions, and in time of war through the Protecting Powers.

What is meant by the expression "official translations" of the Convention? It refers to translations made by the executive authority under a provision of municipal law. There may therefore be several translations to communicate in countries which have more than one national language. The expression should not, however, be taken to include the French, English, Spanish or Russian texts, inasmuch as the first two are the authentic texts of the Convention, and the last two are translations made officially by the Swiss Federal Council under Article 55

. (1)

As to the "laws and regulations" which are also to be communicated, the expression should be understood in its broadest sense. It covers all legal instruments emanating from either the executive or the legislative authorities, which have anything to do with the application of the Convention. States will have, for example, to communicate to one another legislative measures adopted in virtue of Articles 23

, 26

, 44

, 49

, 53

and 54

. But they will also have to communicate laws and regulations which they have adopted without being obliged to do so under the Convention.

* (1) [(2) p.350] See below, page 401;