Page 275 - 100 Reflections that Crafted Geneva International_V-Petrovsky_private special edition

Bringing the Concept to Life

field, a situation likely to be recognized and institutionalized in the upcoming
reform proposals of the Secretary-General. The UNHCR works in close
cooperation with other Geneva-based international organizations such as the
International Committee of the Red Cross, the World Health Organization,
the International Organization for Migration, etc. UNOG is also home to a
Department of Humanitarian Affairs which coordinates international disaster
relief activities.

The United Nations Office at Geneva is also heavily involved in economic,
trade and development activities. It is home to the United Nations Conference
on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) which interacts with the World
Trade Organization through the International Trade Centre (ITC). It is also
home to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), as well as to
the Economic Commission for Europe, all institutions which play a significant
role in their particular area of expertise.

Every two years, the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations
holds its substantive session in Geneva and again, you are fortunate that this
event takes place this year and was inaugurated only last week by the Secretary-
General. It will end on 25 July, the same day your seminar will conclude. and I
hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to become acquainted with
the chore of its activities. The theme of the 1997 session is "fostering an
enabling environment for development".

Geneva contributes to the peace activities of the United Nations through
the work of its Conference on Disarmament which was established in 1979 as
the single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum of the international
community. Examples of successful global multilateral treaties negotiated in
Geneva include two pieces of monumental diplomatic art, the Chemical
Weapons Convention which was adopted in 1993 and which entered in force
on 29 April of this year, and the recent Comprehensive Test-Ban-Treaty.

In all of these areas, Geneva is an important centre for norm-setting and
since this year is the fiftieth anniversary of the International Law Commission,
I would like to mention how much this body has contributed to the
advancement of International Law. It is constantly breaking new grounds and
has been working recently on the creation of an International Criminal Court
of Justice which will make crimes against humanity subject to law.

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