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Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I), 8 June 1977.

Commentary - Annex I : Regulations concerning identification #Chapter III -- Distinctive signals

[p.1185] Annex I, Chapter III -- Distinctive signals

Introduction

4073 For the purposes of the Protocol, the distinctive signals are defined in subparagraph (m) of its Article 8

' (Terminology), ' as

follows:

""distinctive signals" means any signal or message specified

for the identification exclusively of medical units or

transports in Chapter III of Annex I to this Protocol."

4074 It is therefore in this Chapter, which contains Articles 5

to 8, that the distinctive signals are specified. Provision is made for

three categories, namely, the light signal, the radio signal and

electronic identification.

4075 Article 5

' (Optional use) ' supplements the rules relating to the use of distinctive signals set out in paragraphs 2, 5, 6 and 8 of

Article 18

' (Identification) ' of the Protocol. (1)

4076 The problem of the distinctive signals as defined in this Chapter is far from new. With regard to the Geneva Conventions, it arose

before and during the Diplomatic Conference of 1949, even though the

expression "distinctive signals" was not actually used at that time.

Technical signalling and identification systems similar to those

recommended in this Chapter were proposed and discussed in 1949, but

no specific provisions were produced.

4077 In the military environment which existed at that time, purely visual marking and identification were already proving inadequate in

relation to the existing technical means of detecting and locating

targets outside the visual range.

Preparations for the Diplomatic Conference

' 1970-1972 '

4078 As mentioned earlier, the ICRC called a meeting of experts in 1970 in order to investigate the possibilities of using additional

means of identification. (2)

[p.1186] 4079 These consultations were held at ICRC headquarters from 28 to 30 October 1970. Consideration was given to the possibilities of

adapting existing technical signalling and identification systems for

use by medical aircraft, hospital ships, rescue craft and medical

vehicles. The discussions centred round the use of radio,

radiocommunications, secondary radar, submarine acoustic signals,

light signals and the flashing blue light. It was proposed that the

word "Medical" should be used as an international call sign by

medical transports as part of their distinctive radio signal and

radiocommunications.

4080 The views of the experts were submitted to the Conference of Government Experts convened by the ICRC in 1971. (3)

4081 During the general debate held at the beginning of the Conference, several experts stressed how important it was to provide

better protection for the wounded, the sick and medical personnel.

One expert stated that the Conference should not overlook sea

warfare. He advocated regulations for the behaviour of combatants at

sea. (4)

4082 Participants in the Conference were provided with a detailed list of the issues to be considered, one of which related to protection of

the wounded and sick, including matters concerned with the marking

and identification of medical transports. (5) These are set out in

Document VII, entitled "Protection of the Wounded and Sick", of the

collection prepared by the ICRC. Document II of the same collection,

entitled "Measures Intended to Reinforce the Implementation of the

Existing Law", sets out in Annex XVIII (pp. 040 to 044) a number of

measures advocated by the ICRC in connection with the signalling and

identification of medical personnel, units and transports, including

medical aircraft, hospital ships and rescue craft.

4083 As anticipated in the foreword to Document VII, the experts consulted did not draw up any draft rules on signalling and

identification:

"[...] In Part Two, under the heading "Safety of Medical Transports", a field of a highly technical nature, the

International Committee of the Red Cross, while not yet

prepared to formulate any concrete proposals, presents to the

experts the results of its studies to date and the documents

it has gathered thanks to the kind co-operation of a number

of qualified institutions and persons."

4084 At the close of the Conference, the report of Commission I, set up to examine the protection of wounded and sick, states, in Chapter

III and Annex IV, that rules in the field of medical air and sea

transport could not yet be formulated. The Commission recommended

that a second conference of government experts, which should include

qualified technical experts, should cover the whole problem of

medical transport and should try to ensure that such transport was

equipped with modern means of marking, pinpointing and

identification. (6)

[p.1187] 4085 On that basis, the ICRC prepared a technical memorandum containing a questionnaire and commentary on medical marking and

identification, which was submitted in January 1972 to the invited

governments and international organizations as part of the

documentation prepared by the ICRC for the second session of the

Conference of Government Experts. The documentation included the

draft Additional Protocol to the four Geneva Conventions of 12 August

1949; Article 27, paragraph 2, contained the following reference to

Annex I: "2. Apart from the distinctive emblem, medical aircraft may

be fitted with a system of signals and identification, in accordance

with the Rules attached as an annex to the present Protocol." Annex I

bore the title "Regulations on the Marking and Identification of

Medical Aircraft". It contained no draft rules.

4086 A note indicated that the matter would be studied on the basis of the documentation submitted by the ICRC on the one hand (7) and a

special technical memorandum drawn up by the ICRC on the other.

4087 The leading role played by helicopters in medical evacuation during the conflicts which were taking place while the draft

Protocols were being prepared explains the priority accorded to

provisions which would provide these new "flying ambulances" with

better protection. But other means of medical transport were not

neglected either: in its Technical Memorandum, the ICRC considered

that the supplementary means of signalling and identification

"should be available for use by all means of medicaltransport by air, land and water, as well as by medical

personnel and units protected according to the terms of the

Conventions". (8)

4088 The Technical Memorandum was used by Commission I as a basis for its work at the second session of the Conference of Government

Experts. The Commission set up a Technical Sub-Commission on the marking and identificatio of medical transports. (9) The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the International

Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Electrotechnical

Commission (IEC) were represented at the Conference; they had already

taken part in the consultation of experts at ICRC headquarters in

1970. The IEC submitted two studies on the following issues:

-- ' Radar identification: ' airborne equipment for generating identification echoes. This study was discussed at the meeting of

experts in 1970. Its author, Mr. Karl Emanuelson, engineer at the

Research Institute of Swedish National Defence and the Swedish

Board of Civil Aviation, and IEC expert, proposed an original

solution involving an automatic air-to-ground and air-to-air

radar device which did not interfere with anti-aircraft radar

surveillance. (10)

-- ' Specific light signals: ' after the meeting of experts in 1970, the IEC submitted the questions relating to light signals to both

the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) and its own

Technical Committee on Lamps, to find out [p.1188] whether those

bodies had any comments to make. The commentary prepared by IEC

Committee E-1.7, "Fundamentals of Visual Signalling", was

submitted to the Technical Sub-Commission in Annex I to the

Technical Memorandum. (11)

4089 In order to assess the visual range of the protective red cross and red crescent sign, the ICRC held tests on the Bière (Switzerland)

exercise ground on 25 March 1972. In view of the results obtained,

the tests were repeated at Versoix (Geneva) on 6 May 1972 for the

experts of the Technical Sub-Commission. The demonstration brought

out the limited visual range of the distinctive sign and also showed

that is was invisible to infrared observation. This point has already

been discussed in connection with Articles 3

' (Shape and nature) '

and 4

(Use) of this Annex.

4090 At the meetings of the Technical Sub-Commission, the replies received by the ICRC to the questionnaire in the Technical Memorandum

were transmitted to the experts so that they could be taken into

account in the discussions. A number of replies did not reach the

ICRC until after the end of the Conference. (12)

4091 In its report to Commission I, the Technical Sub-Commission pointed out that it had been asked to concentrate on recommending

practical means of improving the signalling and identification of

medical aircraft. It had also been required to consider the problem

of medical transport on land and at sea. It had no specific proposal

to make on the latter two aspects but suggested that additional

studies be undertaken, on the one hand by a group having expertise in

marine and naval matters and, on the other, by specialists in medical

transport on land. (13)

4092 An example of the type of additional study to be undertaken is given in Annex III E to the Technical Sub-Commission's report, which

proposes international telecommunication requirements for hospital

ships and medical aircraft, and also refers to rescue craft. (14)

' 1973 '

4093 Acting on the Technical Sub-Commission's suggestion, the ICRC invited thirteen maritime States to send specialists to the meeting

of experts on the signalling of sea and land medical transports which

it proposed to hold at its headquarters from 5 to 9 February 1973.

4094 At both sessions of the Conference, several government experts had recommended that a more thorough study be made of the broad

issues involved in expanding the Second Convention so as to improve

the situation of the wounded, sick and shipwrecked and provide better

protection for medical transports, particularly hospital ships. (15)

Accordingly, the ICRC suggested that these matters too should be

considered at the proposed meeting, together with [p.1189] the

possible repercussions of the application of new signalling and

identification methods on some of the provisions of the Second

Convention. (16)

4095 This suggestion was well received, but the view was expressed that the vast subject of signalling for sea and land medical

transports could not be covered in one week. Nevertheless, the

meeting was held as scheduled. The ICRC observed that the experts'

views on these matters was required in order to prepare the

Additional Protocols and that they would be asked to comment on the

broad principles involved, rather than enter into details. Finally,

the ICRC suggested that States might wish to send more than one

expert to the meeting, so that several groups could work in parallel.

4096 Accordingly, the thirty experts present at the opening of the meeting split up into a technical group and a legal-military group.

The latter proposed several amendments, most of them editorial, to

the texts prepared at the second session of the Conference of

Government Experts. The technical group studied draft Annex I to the

Protocol and recommended that the States Parties to the Geneva

Conventions should conduct the appropriate studies on the use by

hospital ships of the following technical methods of identification:

-- submarine acoustic signal;

-- light signal (blue light);

-- secondary radar signal;

-- radio signal with call sign "Medical".

4097 With regard to land medical transports, the experts recommended:

-- that the distinctive emblem should be as large as possible and visible from all directions;

-- that the clothing and headgear worn by medical personnel responsible for evacuations from the combat zone should be marked with the largest possible distinctive emblem;

-- that the light signal (blue light) should be used by medical vehicles;

-- that the radio signal with the call sign "Medical" should be used to indicate the position of medical transports as well as for

their radiocommunications.

4098 The technical details of these recommendations (proposed frequencies, radio procedures etc.) will be found in the sections of

this commentary relating to the articles concerned.

4099 At the Plenipotentiary Conference of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), held at Malaga-Torremolinos (Spain)

from 14 September to 26 October 1973, Switzerland as the depositary

of the Geneva Conventions submitted a draft recommendation on

radiocommunications for hospital ships and medical aircraft, prepared

jointly by the ICRC and the Swiss PTT delegation.

4100 The text was adopted and incorporated in the new International Telecommunication Convention under the title: "Recommendation No. 2

-- Use of Radiocommunications for announcing and identifying Hospital

Ships and Medical [p.1190] Aircraft protected under the Geneva

Conventions of 1949". It reads as follows:

"The Plenipotentiary Conference of the International Telecommunication Union (Malaga-Torremolinos, 1973),

' considering '

a) that it is essential to be able to identify and determine the position of hospital ships and medical aircraft

during armed conflict so that they may be spared by the

armed forces of the parties to the conflict;

b) that the use of radiocommunications is necessary, along with other established and recognized methods, for

identifying and determining the position of hospital

ships at sea and medical aircraft in flight during armed

conflict;

' recommends ' that the World Administrative Conferences on

Maritime and on Aeronautical Radiocommunications consider the

technical aspects of the use of certain international

frequencies for the radiocommunications and identification of

hospital ships and medical aircraft protected under the

Geneva Conventions of 1949."

Work of the Diplomatic Conference

' 1974 '

4101 In the draft Protocol submitted by the ICRC to the first session of the Diplomatic Conference, Article 18

' (Identification) ' refers

to the Annex for the rules relating to distinctive signals besides

the distinctive emblem. The fact that the consultations held with

government experts had failed to produce suitable technical

specifications for medical transports at sea prevented the ICRC from

including any specific reference to hospital ships and land-based

rescue craft in Chapter III of its draft Annex, which nevertheless

was not confined to military aircraft, as the 1972 draft had been,

since it contained provisions for the use of the light signal (blue

light) by both medical aircraft and vehicles. Provision was also made

for the use of radio with the call sign "Medical" by medical

transports, secondary radar identification of medical aircraft and

the use of international codes by medical transports. (17)

4102 The Technical Sub-Committee set up by Committee II at the first session of the Diplomatic Conference was open-ended and met eight

times between 8 and 21 March 1974. Together with its report, it

transmitted a new draft Annex to Committee II, which studied and took

note of the text, together with the statements made by the ITU and

ICAO representatives. (18) The Chairman of Committee II, introducing

his Committee's report in a plenary meeting of the Conference on 29

March 1974, said that it had not been possible to consider the

[p.1191] new version of the Annex due to lack of time and that

governments ought to be consulted on the matter. Accordingly, the

adoption of the new draft was deferred until the second session of

the Diplomatic Conference. (19)

4103 Pursuant to Recommendation No. 2 of the International Telecommunication Convention referred to above, the ICRC and the

Swiss PTT delegation drew up a draft recommendation which was

submitted by the Swiss PTT delegation to the World Maritime

Administrative Radio Conference held in Geneva from February to June

1974.

4104 The text was adopted and inserted in the Radio Regulations under the title "Recommendation No. Mar2-17 relating to the Use of

Radiocommunications for Marking, Identifying, Locating, and

Communicating with the Means of Transport protected under the Geneva

Conventions of 12 August 1949, concerning the Protection of War Victims and any Additional Instruments of those Conventions, as well

as for ensuring the Safety of Ships and Aircraft of States not

Parties to an Armed Conflict".

4105 The text of the recommendation is annexed to this commentary (cf. infra, p. 1197).

' 1975 '

4106 The ICRC transmitted the texts of Recommendations Nos. 2 and Mar2-17 to the second session of the Diplomatic Conference. (20)

4107 The Technical Sub-Committee did not meet during the second session of the Diplomatic Conference. On 9 April 1975 Committee II

approved the Technical Sub-Committee's report together with the

principles embodied in the new version of Annex I (21)

4108 The Sub-Committee was invited to meet again in 1976, at the third session of the Diplomatic Conference, in order to study the text in

detail having regard to the comments made by Committee II at the

second session.

4109 The statement made by the observer for the ITU at the first session of the Conference, which was annexed to the Technical

Sub-Committee's report and included with it in the report of

Committee II, Appendix III, drew attention to the fact that:

"The appropriate means for adopting provisions such as those foreseen in the annex to draft Protocol I concerning a

"MEDICAL" call and international designation of frequencies,

is by decision of an ITU World Administrative Radio

Conference competent to deal with the radio services

concerned". (22)

[p.1192] 4110 With a view to the resumption of the Technical Sub-Committee's work at the third session in 1976, it was a matter of some urgency

that all the delegations to the second session of the Diplomatic

Conference be made aware of the competency problem and informed about

the applicable rules.

4111 Accordingly, in order to avoid any confusion that might be caused by the adoption and implementation of texts that were inconsistent

with existing international regulations, the Chairman of the

International frequency Registration Board (IFRB), a permanent organ

of the International Telecommunication Union, sent a memorandum to

the Diplomatic Conference on 3 April 1975, explaining and justifying

the need for national co-ordination of the questions concerning

radiocommunications referred to in draft Annex I to Protocol I. (23)

4112 At the second session of the Diplomatic Conference, the Swiss delegation submitted to Committee II a draft resolution prepared as a

follow-up to the IFRB's memorandum. Several delegations co-sponsored

the draft, which was adopted by Committee II subject to a few

amendments. (24)

4113 In the resolution, Committee II requested the Chairman of the Diplomatic Conference to bring to the attention of the invited

governments:

-- the need for national co-ordination of the questions concerning radiocommunications raised in Annex I;

-- the need for delegations to include radiocommunication experts, so that the representatives of national telecommunication

administrations could participate in the Technical

Sub-Committee's work at the third session of the Conference.

In fact, the Technical Sub-Committee was chaired for the entire duration of the Conference by the Swiss PTT representative of the

Swiss delegation to the Conference.

' 1976 '

4114 The Technical Sub-Committee held ten meetings at the third session of the Diplomatic Conference. Its programme of work included:

-- revision of the draft Annex it had prepared at the first session of the Conference. (25)

-- consideration of the new amendments submitted to the Technical Sub-Committee;

[p.1193]

-- follow-up of the resolution adopted at the second session by Committee II, concerning national co-ordination of the questions

relating to radiocommunications raised in the Annex;

-- preparation of draft resolutions relating to Chapter III of the

Annex, with a view to the forthcoming World Administrative Radio

Conference (WARC) to be held in Geneva in 1979. The agenda of

WARC-79 was to be adopted by the Administrative Council of the

ITU sometime between 14 June and 2 July 1976, and steps had to be

taken to ensure that the radiocommunication questions raised in

Annex I were not omitted from it. Accordingly, the resolution

adopted by the Diplomatic Conference would have to reach both

governments and the ITU in good time.

4115 On 11 May 1976, therefore, the Technical Sub-Committee requested the Chairman of Committee II to request the Chairman of the

Conference to forward Resolution CDDH/II/363 to the Secretary-General

of the ITU for information as soon as it had been adopted by

Committee II but before its adoption by the Conference. (26) The

resolution, entitled "Draft resolution concerning the use of

radiocommunications for announcing and identifying medical transports

protected by the Geneva Conventions of 1949 or any additional

instrument", was adopted by Committee II by consensus. (27)

4116 On 16 June the Secretary-General of the Diplomatic Conference communicated to governments, the ITU and participants in the

Conference the text of the above-mentioned resolution together with

Articles 7, 8 and 9 of the Regulations concerning identification

approved by Committee II (see Document CDDH/II/389).

4117 The Swiss PTT Directorate-General had transmitted the resolution to the IFRB on 28 May, with the request that the text be communicated

by circular-letter to all national administrations members of the

ITU. This was done on 8 June 1976. Thus, the resolution reached those

concerned in time for the ITU discussions concerning the agenda of

the 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC-79).

4118 The previous WARC had been held in 1959, the year in which the draft regulations prepared in response to Resolutions 6 and 7 of the

Diplomatic Conference of 1949 had been submitted to the ITU. (28) In

view of the time which had elapsed -- ten years from 1949 to 1959 and

twenty years from 1959 to 1979 -- there was every reason for the

Technical Sub-Committee's impatience to submit the question of

medical radiocommunications to the ITU.

4119 In his letter of 23 September 1976 to ICAO and IMCO (IMO), the Secretary-General of the Diplomatic Conference explained that the

resolutions in question (CDDH/II/392 for ICAO and CDDH/II/390 for

IMCO) had been forwarded to those organizations in advance, on 16

June 1976, for study and comment prior to [p.1194] the last session

of the Conference in 1977. The two organizations were informed that

the resolutions would be communicated to them officially as soon as

they had been adopted by the plenary meeting of the Diplomatic

Conference, at the fourth session.

4120 The titles of the two draft resolutions were:

-- CDDH/II/392 (CDDH/II/364/Rev. 1): "Draft resolution concerning the use of certain electronic and visual means of identification

by medical aircraft protected by the Geneva Conventions of 1949

or any additional instrument";

-- CDDH/II/390 (CDDH/II/366/Rev. 1): "Draft resolution concerning the use of visual signalling for identification of medical

transport protected by the Geneva Conventions of 1949 or any

additional instrument".

4121 The new draft Annex, prepared in 1976 on the basis of the 1974 draft and the amendments submitted, did not yet contain the final

version of the regulations concerning the identification and marking

of medical personnel, units and transports and of civil defence

personnel, ' matériel ' and transports. In its report to Committee II

of 14 May 1976, the Technical Sub-Committee observed that the final

adoption of Chapter V ' (Civil defence) ' would depend on the

decisions taken in respect of Article 59 of the draft Protocol. Chapter VI entitled "Periodical revision", was also being submitted

subject to consideration at a later date, since it would have been to

be brought in line with other related articles of Protocol I.

Together with the new draft Annex, the Technical Sub-Committee

submitted the three draft resolutions referred to above and dealing,

respectively, with radiocommunications (intended for the ITU),

electronic and visual means of identification (intended for ICAO) and

visual signals (intended for IMCO (IMO)). (29)

4122 In the latest version of the Annex, as in its previous versions, the provisions designed to improve signalling and identification of

medical aircraft were not accompanied by similar provisions for

either medical transports at sea (hospital ships and rescue craft) or

medical vehicles. Nevertheless, paragraph 3 of Article 6

' (Light

signal) ' mentioned the use of the flashing blue light by medical

ships and craft, subject to agreement between the Parties to the

conflict. The same applied to identification by radar as governed by

Article 8

' (Electronic identification). '

4123 Towards the close of the Technical Sub-Committee's work at the first session of the Conference and during the second session in

1975, several experts had suggested that improvements could be made

in the structure of the Annex, for example by dividing Chapter III

into three parts relating, respectively, to land, air and sea. The

ICRC had rearranged the text along those lines, without making any

changes in the substance of the articles discussed at the first

session. The "maritime signalling" section contemplated a submarine

acoustic identification signal. (30)

[p.1195] 4124 This draft new layout of the Annex was not accepted by the Technical Sub-Committee when the subject was raised early in the 1976

session, for its study would have been time-consuming and subject to

deadlines, a course that would have been incompatible with the task

assigned to the Technical Sub-Committee.

4125 However, medical transports at sea were not excluded from the discussions, particularly in respect of Articles 21 to 25 of the

draft Protocol, which were considered at the second session. (31)

4126 Attention was drawn to the importance of submarine acoustic signalling and identification when the report of the Technical

Sub-Committee was considered. (32)

4127 It had been suggested by delegates at the second session that further tests should be made during the third session concerning the

visibility of the distinctive emblem and the blue light, through

observation and infrared photography. (33)

4128 These tests took place on the evening of 29 April 1976 at Versoix (Geneva), where the ICRC had positioned boards marked with the

distinctive emblem and ambulances equipped with their usual blue

light. More than 40 experts thus had an opportunity to make

observations either with the naked eye or using an infrared device.

The results of the tests are commented on under Chapter II ' (The

distinctive emblem), ' Articles 3

' (Shape and nature) ' and 4

' (Use) ', of Annex I.

1977

4129 The Technical Sub-Committee was not scheduled to meet during the fourth and last session of the Diplomatic Conference. As a result of

the discussions held by Committee II and its Drafting Committee at

that session, some editorial amendments were made to the text of the

draft Annex as well as to the resolution addressed to the ITU. Since

the latter organization had decided to place the matter on the agenda

of WARC-79, an appropriate reference had to be included in the final

text of the resolution to be submitted to the plenary meeting of the

Diplomatic Conference, together with the texts of the resolutions

addressed to ICAO and IMCO (IMO), for adoption and official

communication to those organizations. (34)

4130 Through its observer at the fourth session of the Diplomatic Conference, IMCO (IMO) informed Committee II that the resolution on

the use of visual signalling had been informally submitted for

information to the Sub-Committee on Safety of Navigation of the

Maritime Safety Committee of IMCO (IMO). The Secretary-General of

IMCO looked forward to formally receiving the resolution upon its

adoption by the Diplomatic Conference, so that member States could be

invited to take appropriate action. (35)

[p.1196] 4131 The follow-up action taken by IMO in respect of Resolution 18 resulted in the adoption of a new Chapter XIV of the International

Code of Signals, which came into effect on 1 January 1986.

' Ph. E. '

[p.1197]

Document annexed (cf. supra, p. 1191)

RADIO REGULATIONS

Edition of 197

Volume 2

(extracts)

RECOMMENDATION No. Mar2 -- 17

Relating to the Use of Radiocommunications for Marking, Identifying, Locating, and Communicating with the Means of Transport protected

under the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, concerning the

Protection of War Victims and any Additional Instruments of those

Conventions, as well as for ensuring the safety of Ships and Aircraft

of States not Parties to an Armed Conflict

The World Maritime Administrative Radio Conference, Geneva, 1974,

' considering '

a) that it is desirable for the safety of human life to be able to identify and determine the position of the means of transport

protected under the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 and any

additional instrument of those Conventions;

b) that several international Conferences have adopted resolutions on this question, notably the 1949 Geneva Diplomatic Conference for

the elaboration of international Conventions for the protection of

war victims (Resolution 6) and the International Red Cross

Conferences of 1930 (Resolution XVII), 1934 (Resolution XXXII), 1965

(Resolution XXX), 1969 (Resolution XXVII) and 1973 (Resolution XIII);

c) that it is desirable to be able to identify and determine the position of neutral ships and aircraft in times of armed conflict;

d) that it is for the I.T.U. to fix basic radio regulatory provisions;

e) that the Administrative Radio Conference, Geneva, 1959, adopted Recommendation No. 34 relating to the use of radiotelegraph and

radiotelephone links by Red Cross organizations;

f) that the Plenipotentiary Conference of the International Telecommunication Union, Malaga-Torremolinos, 1973, adopted

Recommendation No. 2 relating to the use of radiocommunications for

announcing and identifying hospital ships and medical aircraft

protected under the Geneva Conventions of 1949, referring technical

questions to the competent Administrative Conferences;

g) that, to ensure the necessary close coordination, it is desirable to refer the study of problems affecting several services

simultaneously to a general World Administrative Radio Conference;

[p.1198] ' recommends '

that the next general World Administrative Radio Conference, planned for 1979, study the technical and administrative aspects of the use

of radiocommunications for marking, identifying, locating and

communicating with the means of transport protected under the 1949

Geneva Conventions and any additional instruments of those

Conventions, and for ensuring the safety of the ships and aircraft of

States not parties to an armed conflict.

NOTES (1) [(1) p.1185] Cf. commentary Art. 8, sub-para. (m), and Art. 18, paras. 2, 5, 6, 8, of the Protocol, supra, p. 135

and pp. 226, 230, 232, 234;

(2) [(2) p.1185] Cf. general introduction to the commentary on Annex I, historical background, supra, p. 1149;

(3) [(3) p.1186] ' CE/1b ', p. 10; pp. 18-19, para. b). CE/7b, pp. 39-55;

(4) [(4) p.1186] ' CE 1971, Report ', pp. 22, 26, 28;

(5) [(5) p.1186] ' CE/1b ', pp. 1, 10, 19 (first para.);

(6) [(6) p.1186] ' CE 1971, Report ', pp. 28, 32;

(7) [(7) p.1187] ' CE 1972, Basic Texts ', pp. I, III, 12, 29; CE 1972, ' Commentary ', Part I, pp. I, III, 54-55, 170;

(8) [(8) p.1187] ' CE 1972, Technical Memorandum ', p. 6, second para;

(9) [(9) p.1187] ' CE 1972, Report ', Vol. I, p. 31, paras. 1.2-1.3; p. 55, Annex III A: composition of the Technical

Sub-Commission;

(10) [(10) p.1187] International Electrotechnical Commission, ' IEC, Bulletin ', No. 17, July 1971; ' CE 1972, Technical

Memorandum ', p. 44, Annex II;

(11) [(11) p.1188] ' CE 1972, Technical Memorandum ', pp. 9, 21-24, 41-43 (Annex I);

(12) [(12) p.1188] ' CE 1972, Report ', Vol. I, pp. 56-58, paras. 1-22;

(13) [(13) p.1188] ' CE 1972, Report ', Vol. I, pp.41-43, paras. 1.66-1.68; p. 53, Annexes I and II; p. 54, para. 2;

p. 55, paras. 8-12; pp. 56-60;

(14) [(14) p.1188] ' CE 1972, Report ', Vol. I, pp. 59-60, Annex III E;

(15) [(15) p.1188] See 'CE 1 971, Report ', p. 22, paras. 31-32; p. 28, para. 90. ' CE 1972, Report ', Vol. I, p.

32, para. 1.11; p. 209, para. 5.48;

(16) [(16) p.1189] In this connection, see the comments in ' CE 1972, Report ', Vol. I, pp. 59-60, Annexes III D and III

(17) [(17) p.1190] O.R. I, Part III, pp. 28-32;

(18) [(18) p.1190] O.R. XIII, pp. 23-51, CDDH/49/Rev.1, paras. 1-73 and Appendices I-III;

(19) [(19) p.1191] O.R. V, p. 226, CDDH/SR.22, para. 5; see supra, footnote 2. O.R. XIII, pp. 49-51, CDDH/49/Rev.1,

Appendices II and III;

(20) [(20) p.1191] O.R. XI, p. 567, CDDH/II/SR.50, para. 12;

1) [(21) p.1191] O.R. XIII, pp. 1, 23-51, CDDH/49/Rev.1, Annex II, Appendices I and III. O.R. XIII, pp. 159-163,

CDDH/221/Rev. 1, paras. 260-265;

(22) [(22) p.1191] O.R. XIII p. 51 CDDH/49/Rev.1, Appendix III, fourth para;

(23) [(23) p.1192] O.R. XI, pp. 567-568, CDDH/II/SR.50, paras. 13-16; p. 601, CDDH/II/SR.53, paras. 25-28. O.R. XIII, pp.

159-162, CDDH/221/Rev.1, paras. 260-265;

(24) [(24) p.1192] O.R. XIII pp. 160-161, CDDH/221/Rev.1, paras. 262-263; pp. 161-162, para. 264; pp. 162-163. O.R.

XI, pp. 598-601, CDDH/II/SR.53, paras. 8-28; pp. 614-617,

CDDH/II/SR.54, paras. 69-85; pp. 619-620, CDDH/II/SR.55,

paras. 1-12. O.R. V, p. 382, CDDH/SR.33, para. 13;

(25) [(25) p.1192] O.R. XIII, pp. 23-51, CDDH/49/Rev.1, Annex II and Appendices I to III;

(26) [(26) p.1193] O.R. XII, pp. 166-174, CDDH/II/SR.70, paras. 8-62. O.R. V, p. 382, CDDH/SR.33, para. 13. O.R. XIII, p.

268, CDDH/235/Rev.1, para. 57 (titles of draft

Resolutions);

(27) [(27) p.1193] O.R. XII, pp. 166-167, CDDH/II/SR.70, paras. 8-13. O.R. XIII, p. 268, CDDH/235/Rev.1, paras. 57-58; p.

322, Annex III, para. 8;

(28) [(28) p.1193] See supra p. 1146;

(29) [(29) p.1194] O.R. XIII pp. 245, 247, 266-269, 281, 294-301, 321, CDDH/235 /Rev.2, paras. 50-66, Annexes I and

III;

(30) [(30) p.1194] O.R. XI, p. 569, CDDH/II/SR.50, para. 27;

(31) [(31) p.1195] Ibid., pp. 551-561, CDDH/II/SR.49, paras. 2-68;

(32) [(32) p.1195] Ibid., p. 569, CDDH/II/SR.50, para. 26; p. 602, CDDH/II/SR.53, paras. 29, 30-32;

(33) [(33) p.1195] Ibid., p. 602, CDDH/II/SR.53, para. 33;

(34) [(34) p.1195] O.R. XIII, pp. 354-381, CDDH/406/Rev.1, paras. 6, 7, 8, 13, 20, 60, 67, 81, 83, 85; p. 387, Annex,

note; p. 406 (Art. 59, para. 6); pp. 414-417 (Technical

Annex); p. 431, CDDH/II/439/ Rev.1 (Art. 59, paras. 2, 6);

p. 433 (Art. 59); pp. 431-440;

(35) [(35) p.1195] O.R. XII, p. 489, CDDH/II/SR.101, para. 30;