PROTOCOLS TO THE GENEVA CONVENTIONS OF 12 AUGUST 1949

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP05C01629R000801730006-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 9, 2011
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: September 1, 1979
• Content Type: MISC

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Department of the Army Pamphlet 27-1-1
PROTOCOLS
TO THE
GENEVA CONVENTIONS
OF
12 AUGUST 1949
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garding prohibition or
ain conventional weapons
the Host Country
Arabic, English, French,
accompanying documents
iss Confederation.
Signatories to Protocol I as of 15 January 1979
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Byelorussia
Canada
Chile
Cyprus
Czechoslovakia
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Finland
German Dem.Rep.
German Fed.Rep.
Ghana
Greece
Guatemala
Holy See
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
Iran
Ireland
Italy
Ivory Coast
Jordan
Korea (Rep.)
Laos
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Madagascar
Mongolia
Morocco
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Norway
Pakistan
Panama
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Romania
San Marino
Senegal
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Togo
Tunisia
Ukraine
USSR
United Kingdom
United States
Upper Volta
Vietnam
Yemen (Arab Rep.)
Yugoslavia
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Signatories to Protocol II as of 15 January 1979
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Byelorussia
Canada
Chile
Czechoslovakia
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Finland
German Dem.Rep.
German Fed.Rep.
Ghana
Guatemala
Holy See
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
Iran
Ireland
Italy
Ivory Coast
Jordan
Korea (Rep.)
Laos
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Madagascar
Mongolia
Morocco
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Norway
Pakistan
Panama
Peru
Poland
Portugal
Romania
San Marino
Senegal
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Togo
Tunisia
Ukraine
USSR
United Kingdom
United States
Upper Volta
Yemen (Arab Rep.)
Yugoslavia
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Ratifiers of Protocols I and II as of 12 April 1979
Libyan Jamahiriya
Ghana
Ecuador
El Salvador
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Declarations Made at Time
of Signature
REpublique federale d'Allema ne
La Republique FCd'erale d'Allemagne appose sa signature au bas des Protocoles,
convaincue de remplir par 11 un noble but humanitaire que, de tout temps,
elle s'est particulierement sentie tenue de respecter. Eu regard a la facon
parfois peu claire dont est redig? le texte du Protocole additionnel I, it
est toutefois n'ecessaire d'examiner soigneusement si et dans quelle mesure ce
Protocole limite la faculty de lLggitime defense, individuelle ou collective,
vise it l'Article 51 de Is Charte des Nations Unies. Le Gouvernement Fedfiral
doit donc se rLserver de faire des d1kclarations supplementaires, lors d'une
ratification ultirieure, pour preciser et mettre en 19vidence les engagements
de droit international de la Republique Fed'erale d'Allemagne.
Certaines dispositions (du Protocole I) sont redigees de telle sorte qu'elles
donnent lieu I des interpretations diffLfrentes, ou meme contradictoires. Mon
Gouvernement ne souhaite pas en ce moment soulever ces problemes, mais it se
reserve Is droit de le faire avant la ratification du Protocole.
The Embassy of the United States of America presents its compliments to the
Federal Political Department and has the honor to inform it that the two
protocols to the Geneva Conventions of August 12, 1949 relating to the
protection of victims of armed conflicts will be signed today on behalf of
the United States. This signature is subject to the following understandings:
1. It is the understanding of the United States of America that the rules
established by this protocol were not intended to have any effect on and do
not regulate or prohibit the use of nuclear weapons.
2. It is the understanding of the United States of America that the phrase
"military deployment preceding the launching of an attack" in Article 44,
Paragraph 3, means any movement towards a place from which an attack, is to be
launched.
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It is the
in Part I
Article 8
sense as
The Embas
note to tl
The Embas:
to renew
considers
Le P1/;nipc
fication,
se prOtent
du depot e
de la Cons
des princl
Le Gouverr
formulatic
1. On sig
1949, and
Conflicts
and Northe
understand
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It is the understanding of the United States of America that the terms used
in Part III of this protocol which are the same as the terms defined in
Article 8 of Protocol I shall so far as relevant be construed in the same
sense as those definitions.
ure au bas des Protocoles,
re que, de tout temps,
er. Eu regard as Is facon
:ocole additionnel I, it
i et dans quelle mesure ce
dividuelle ou collective,
.. Le Gouvernement F6d&ra1
>plementaires, lors d'une
evidence les engagements
Allemagne.
:es de telle sorte qu'elles
me-me contradictoires. Mon
ces problemes, mais it se
du Protocole.
The Embassy has the honor to request that you circulate the text of this
note to the states party to the Geneva Convention.
The Embassy of the United States of America avails itself of this opportunity
to renew to the Federal Political Department the assurances of its highest
consideration.
Le Plenipotentiaire d'Italie, en signant les Protocoles avec reserve de rati-
fication, declare que, en raison des differentes interpretations auxquelles
se pr,8tent certaines formulations des textes, l'Italie se pr6vaudra, au moment
du dbp$t des instruments de ratification, de la facule'e pr6vue I Particle 19
de la Convention de Vienne sur Is droit des traits du 23 mai 1969 sur la base
des principes generaux du droit international.
s its compliments to the
nform it that the two
949 relating to the
gned today on behalf of
e following understandings:
America that the rules
ave any effect on and do
America that the phrase
attack" in Article 44,
m which an attack is to be
Le Gouvernement Portugais renvoie au moment de Is ratification respective la
formulation des reserves eventuellement jugees addquates.
1. On signing the Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August
1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed
Conflicts (Protocol I), the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Northern Ireland declare that they have signed on the basis of the following
understandings:
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(a) in relation to Article 1, that the term "armed conflict" of itself
and in its context implies a certain level of intensity of military
operations which must be present before the Conventions or the Protocol
are to apply to any given situation, and that this level of intensity
cannot be less than that required for the application of Protocol II,
by virtue of Article 1 of that Protocol, to internal conflicts;
(b) in relation to Articles 41, 57 and 58, that the word "feasible" means
that which is practicable or practically possible, taking into account
all circumstances at the time including those relevant to the success
of military operations;
(c) in relation to Article 44, that the situation described in the second
sentence of paragraph 3 of the Article can exist only in occupied
territory or in armed conflicts covered by paragraph 4 of Article 1,
and that the Government of the United Kingdom will interpret the word
"deployment" in paragraph 3(b) of the Article as meaning "any movement
towards a place from which an attack is to be launched";
(d) in relation to Articles 51 to 58 inclusive, that military commanders
and others responsible for planning, deciding upon or executing attacks
necessarily have to reach decisions on the bais of their assessment of
the information from all sources which is available to them at the
relevant time;
(e) in relation to paragraph 5(b) of Article 51 and paragraph (2)(a)(iii)
of Article 57, that the military advantage anticipated from an attack
is intended to refer to the advantage anticipated from the attack
considered as a whole and not only from isolated or particular parts
of the attack;
(f) in relation to Article 52, that a specific area of land may be a
military objective if, because of its location or other reasons
specified in the Article, its total or partial destruction, capture or
neutralisation in the circumstances ruling at the time offers definite
military advantage;
(g) in relation to Article 53, that if the objects protected by the Article
are unlawfully used for military purposes they will thereby lose
protection from attacks directed against such unlawful military uses;
(h) in relation to paragraph 3 of Article 96, that only a declaration made
by an authority which genuinely fulfils the criteria of paragraph 4 of
Article 1 can have the effects stated in paragraph 3 of Article 96,
and that, in the light of the negotiating history, it is to be regarded
as necessary also that the authority concerned be recognised as such by
the appropriate regional intergovernmental organisation;
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(i) that the
have any
weapons;
(j) that the
Rhodesia
the dept
gations
fully it
2. On signir
1949, and re)
Conflicts (Pi
and Northern
the provision
and until th(
they are in :
in respect o:
Ad article 5'
cr?ent des of
ou du groupe
Ad article 5
"dans toute
et b) seront
national.
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A conflict" of itself
intensity of military
onventions or the Protocol
this level of intensity
'lication of Protocol II,
nternal conflicts;
he word "feasible" means
,ible, taking into account
relevant to the success
described in the second
ist only in occupied
ragraph 4 of Article 1,
will interpret the word
as meaning "any movement
launched";
hat military commanders
upon or executing attacks
is of their assessment of
ilable to them at the
nd paragraph (2)(a)(iii)
ticipated from an attack
ated from the attack
ted or particular parts
,a of land may be a
or other reasons
L destruction, capture or
the time offers definite
protected by the Article
will thereby lose
unlawful military uses;
only a declaration made
iteria of paragraph 4 of
raph 3 of Article 96,
ory, it is to be regarded
1 be recognised as such by
anisation;
(i) that the new rules introduced by the Protocol are not intended to
have any effect on and do not regulate or prohibit the use of nuclear
weapons; and
(j) that the provisions of the Protocol shall not apply to Southern
Rhodesia unless and until the Government of the United Kingdom inform
the depositary that they are in a position to ensure that the obli-
gations imposed by the Protocol in respect of that territory can be
fully implemented.
2. On signing the Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August
1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-international Armed
Conflicts (Protocol II), the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Northern Ireland declare that they have signed on the understanding that
the provisions of the Protocol shall not apply to Southern Rhodesia unless
and until the Government of the United Kingdom inform the depositary that
they are in a position to ensure that the obligations imposed by the Protocol
in respect of that territory can be fully implemented.
Ad article 57 Protocole I. Les dispositions du chiffre 2 de cet article ne
crfient des obligations que pour les commandants des le niveau du bataillon
ou du groups et aux echelons plus 'elev4s.
Ad article 58 Protocols I. Consid6rant que cet article contient l'expression
"dans toute la mesure de ce qui est pratiquement possible", les alirfeas a)
et b) seront appliques sous r?serve des exigences de la defense du territoire
national.
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