United States: ICRC president holds high-level talks
28-03-2012 News Release 12/58
Geneva/Washington (ICRC) – The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Jakob Kellenberger, has arrived in Washington for a two-day visit during which he will hold talks with senior US officials, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta.
Mr Kellenberger will focus on the relationship between the ICRC and the United States, detention-related matters, and the use of force in armed conflicts and other situations of violence. He will also discuss the humanitarian situation in some of the ICRC's main areas of operations, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Syria and Yemen.
"I am particularly interested in discussing the current state of affairs in connection with detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay," said Mr Kellenberger before the visit. "I am also keen to share views on humanitarian concerns in the ICRC's key operational contexts."
For further information, please contact:
Simon Schorno, ICRC Washington, tel: +1 202 587 46 04 or +1 202 361 15 66
Carla Haddad Mardini, ICRC Geneva, tel: +41 22 730 24 05 or +41 79 217 32 26
Bijan Frederic Farnoudi, ICRC Geneva, tel: +41 22 730 21 80 or +41 79 536 92 59