Parties to an armed conflict are subject to the basic obligation of interna...

Parties to an armed conflict are subject to the basic obligation of international humanitarian law to protect civilians from the effects of armed conflict. Such an obligation, embodied in common article 3 to the four Geneva Conventions of 1949, also applies in the context of armed conflicts of a non-international nature, that is to say, to non-States parties to conflict. The Security Council is directly responsible for matters of peacekeeping operations and the protection of civilians. As I have pointed out on other occasions, my country is convinced of the need to include in the mandates of United Nations missions protection activities that are clearly developed and receive the necessary resources in an effective and timely manner. In this regard, interaction with components on the ground is essential to ensuring that mandates will be clear and appropriate to the circumstances faced by the peacekeeping operation.