[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 25 (Monday, June 26, 2006)]
[Pages 1188-1189]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Message to the Senate Transmitting a Report on Additional Geneva 
Convention Amendments

June 19, 2006

To the Senate of the United States:

    With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to 
ratification, I transmit herewith: the Protocol Additional to the Geneva 
Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Adoption of an 
Additional Distinctive Emblem (the ``Geneva Protocol III''), adopted at 
Geneva on December 8, 2005, and signed by the United States on that 
date; the Amendment to Article 1 of the Convention on Prohibitions or 
Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May be 
Deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects

[[Page 1189]]

(the ``CCW Amendment''); and the CCW Protocol on Explosive Remnants of 
War (the ``CCW Protocol V''). I transmit, for the information of the 
Senate, the report of the Department of State concerning these treaties.
    Geneva Protocol III. Geneva Protocol III creates a new distinctive 
emblem, a Red Crystal, in addition to and for the same purposes as the 
Red Cross and the Red Crescent emblems. The Red Crystal is a neutral 
emblem that can be employed by governments and national societies that 
face challenges using the existing emblems. In addition, Geneva Protocol 
III will pave the way for Magen David Adom, Israel's national society, 
to achieve membership in the International Red Cross and Red Crescent 
Movement. Legislation implementing Geneva Protocol III will be submitted 
to the Congress separately.
    CCW Amendment. The amendment to Article 1 of the CCW, which was 
adopted at Geneva on December 21, 2001, eliminates the distinction 
between international and non-international armed conflict for the 
purposes of the rules governing the prohibitions and restrictions on the 
use of certain conventional weapons. It does not change the legal status 
of rebel or insurgent groups into that of protected or privileged 
belligerents.
    CCW Protocol V. CCW Protocol V, which was adopted at Geneva on 
November 28, 2003, addresses the post-conflict threat generated by 
conventional munitions such as mortar shells, grenades, artillery 
rounds, and bombs that do not explode as intended or that are abandoned. 
CCW Protocol V provides for the marking, clearance, removal, and 
destruction of such remnants by the party in control of the territory in 
which the munitions are located.
    Conclusion. I urge the Senate to give prompt and favorable 
consideration to each of these instruments and to give its advice and 
consent to their ratification. These treaties are in the interest of the 
United States, and their ratification would advance the longstanding and 
historic leadership of the United States in the law of armed conflict.
                                                George W. Bush
 The White House,
 June 19, 2006.

Note: This message was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
June 20. An original was not available for verification of the content 
of this message.