UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon reaffirmed on Wednesday the lasting significance of the Geneva Conventions on the 60th anniversary of their adoption.
"On the sixtieth anniversary of the adoption of the four Geneva Conventions, the Secretary-General reaffirms their enduring significance and relevance for the protection of human life and dignity in situations of armed conflict," said a statement issued by Ban's press office.
"The Secretary-General urges all Member States to take the necessary steps to ensure respect for the fundamental principles therein," it added.
The four Conventions, adopted in 1949 in the aftermath of the horrors of World War II, protect wounded and sick soldiers on land and wounded, sick and shipwrecked military personnel at sea during war, establish rights for prisoners of war, and afford protection to civilians, including in occupied territory.
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