ICRC President to visit Irish Red Cross

Mr Kellenberger will meet with the Chairman of the Irish Red Cross, Mr David Andrews, the Secretary General, Ms Carmel Dunne and members of the Irish Red Cross Executive Committee.

The President will thank the Irish Red Cross for their ongoing support for ICRC operations worldwide, most recently in Iraq, but also in Afghanistan and elsewhere. He will also discuss the importance of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and the need to press for its enforcement in both international and non-international armed conflicts worldwide.

Mr Kellenberger, together with the Irish Red Cross leadership will then attend individual meetings with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Brian Cowen TD, the Minister for Defence, Mr Michael Smith TD and the Minister for State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Mr Tom Kitt TD to thank the Irish Government for their support for the Red Cross during the past year and to discuss the ICRC Appeal for 2004.

Discussions, in the light of Ireland's current position as President of the EU, will focus on the pledge by the EU at the International Conference of the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement prior to Christmas to support the promotion and the implementation of IHL programmes. The Red Cross will also brief the Ministers about Red Cross operations worldwide.

The ICRC President, accompanied by the Irish Red Cross Chairman and Secretary General, will then pay a courtesy call to the President of the Irish Red Cross, President Mary McAleese, prior to his departure that evening.

Ends.