Issues of compliance with international humanitarian law and ensuring peace and security discussed in the Tavricheskiy Palace

The plenary session of the international conference “150th Anniversary of St. Petersburg Declaration Renouncing the Use, in Times of War, of Certain Explosive Projectiles: New Context, Undiminished Relevance” took place in the Dumsky Hall of the Tavricheskiy Palace.

The Conference was opened by Chairperson of the IPA CIS Council, Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Valentina Matvienko.

Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the North-West Federal District Alexander Gutsan read out the welcoming address on behalf of President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

“I am confident that the decisions made at the Forum, which brought together in our Northern Capital representatives of the executive and legislative branches, prominent legal experts from many countries, and experts from international organizations, will be a milestone for the improvement of humanitarian law, promote the strengthening of the global legal order and mutual trust”, mentions the welcoming address.

Chairperson of the IPA CIS Council noted: “150 years ago a solid foundation for international humanitarian policy was laid in St. Petersburg. In fact, it was then that the first steps towards the international codification of the system of protection of fundamental human rights were taken, which has become one of the most important elements of a civilized world order in our time”.

Valentina Matvienko also stressed that the IPA CIS pays particular attention to the issues of the development of international humanitarian law.

President of the International Committee of the Red Cross Peter Maurer urged the guests and participants of the Conference to follow the example of the authors of the St. Petersburg Declaration of 1868, as they sought to achieve a pragmatic balance between the principles of humanity and military necessity.

Panel sessions “St. Petersburg Declaration: Contribution to the Progressive Development of IHL and Evolution of Regulation of Weapons Use” and “Challenges for Humanitarian Action through the Lenses of the Principles of St. Petersburg Declaration” took place in the second half of the day.

Declaration of the organizers of the International Conference “150^th Anniversary of St. Petersburg Declaration Renouncing the Use, in Times of War, of Certain Explosive Projectiles: New Context, Undiminished Relevance”.