Mr Chairperson,It is my pleasure to introduce, on behalf of the co-sponsors, the draft resolution on the status of the Protocols Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 relating to the protection of victims of armed conflict. The draft is contained in document A/C.6/63/L.15. In addition to the 63 co-sponsors listed in the document, the following countries have expressed their wish to be added as co-sponsors: Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Fiji, Kenya, Mongolia, Montenegro, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda and Zambia. This brings the total number of co-sponsors to 76 States. As coordinator, Sweden takes this as evidence of the importance afforded to the issues at hand and my delegation would like to thank all co-sponsors for their support. I would also like to thank to the Secretariat for the assistance provided. Mr Chairperson,The item concerning the Status of the Protocols Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 was introduced at the 37th session of the General Assembly in 1982 by Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, a few years following the entry into force of the two protocols. The main focus was initially to call upon non-State parties to consider ratifying or acceding to the protocols and to affirm the value of established humanitarian rules relating to armed conflicts and the need to respect and ensure respect for those rules. This remains just as important and equally valid today, and is still at the core of the resolution. Throughout the years, however, the scope has broadened so as to take into account recent important developments in the field of international humanitarian law in general. This session’s draft has been updated slightly and contains a few additions. I will concentrate on the most substantial updates and additions. A new preambular paragraph 13 has been introduced relating to the development in the field of cluster munitions whereby the General Assembly notes the serious concern expressed by States regarding the humanitarian impact caused by such munitions. The adoption of the Convention on Cluster Munitions in Dublin on 30 May this year and the ongoing negotiation of a proposal on this subject within the context of the Certain Conventional Weapons Convention are noted.As the Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions, relating to the Adoption of an Additional Distinctive Emblem has entered into force since our last resolution on the topic, that is also noted in preambular paragraph 14. Certain developments with regard to the study of the International Committee of the Red Cross on customary international humanitarian law are welcomed in preambular paragraph 15. A new preambular paragraph 17, which notes the special responsibilities of National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies as auxiliaries to their public authorities of their respective States in the promotion, dissemination and implementation of international humanitarian law, has also been added. Mr Chairperson,My delegation has held extensive and productive negotiations on this draft resolution. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the helpful and constructive way in which delegations have approached the negotiations. There can be no doubt that all delegations share the principal issues at hand, namely a strong support for international humanitarian law relating to the victims of armed conflict. It is my sincere hope that this session’s resolution can be adopted by consensus. Thank you Mr Chairperson.