Use of weapons in modern conflicts discussed in the Tavricheskiy Palace

On 20-21 October 2016, the IPA CIS and the International Committee of the Red Cross are co-hosting the international conference Use of Weapons in Modern Conflict: Humanitarian Aspects.

IPA CIS Council SG Alexey Sergeev and Head of ICRC Regional Delegation Magne Bart opened the Conference.

In his welcome speech, Alexey Sergeev reminded the Conference participants that IPA CIS and ICRC had had close ties since 1997. "This cooperation resulted in the adoption of a series of model laws and recommendations related to the implementation of international humanitarian law. Specifically, they were related to the protection of the emblems of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent, civilians and prisoners' of war rights during military conflicts, as well as to missing persons; recommendations on implementing conventions on protection of cultural artefacts during war conflicts, prohibition of development and production of biological and toxin arsenals, as well as chemical weapons, and many others".

The participants of the Conference will focus on two key topics – humanitarian issues of using conventional explosive weapons in current war conflicts and humanitarian consequences of using nuclear weapons.

The Conference brought together members of the relevant IPA CIS permanent commissions, the Joint Commission on the Alignment of Laws in the Fields of Security and Countering New Challenges and Threats, and representative of ministries of foreign affairs, defense, justice and public health from Eastern Europe and Middle Asia. The Conference is also expected to feature presentations by international experts from Belarus, Germany, Norway, Kazakhstan, US, Switzerland, etc.