A/RES/59/189 Noting, in this regard, that the issue of persons reported missing in connection with international armed conflicts, in particular those who are victims of serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law, continues to have a negative impact on efforts to put an end to those conflicts, Welcoming the convening in Geneva, from 19 to 21 February 2003, by the International Committee of the Red Cross, of the International Conference of Governmental and Non-Governmental Experts on the theme “The missing: action to resolve the problem of people unaccounted for as a result of armed conflict or internal violence and to assist their families” and the observations and recommendations of the Conference for addressing the problem of missing persons and their families, Welcoming also the undertakings by the participants at the Twenty-eighth International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, held in Geneva from 2 to 6 December 2003, through their adoption of the Agenda for Humanitarian Action, in particular general objective 1, to respect and restore the dignity of persons missing as a result of armed conflicts or other situations of armed violence and of their families, Urges States strictly to observe and respect and ensure respect for the 1. rules of international humanitarian law, as set out in the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 19491 and in the Additional Protocols thereto, of 1977;2 2. Calls upon States that are parties to an armed conflict to take all appropriate measures to prevent persons from going missing in connection with armed conflict and to account for persons reported missing as a result of such a situation; Reaffirms the right of families to know the fate of their relatives reported 3. missing in connection with armed conflicts; 4. Also reaffirms that each party to an armed conflict, as soon as circumstances permit and, at the latest, from the end of active hostilities, shall search for the persons who have been reported missing by an adverse party; Calls upon States which are parties to an armed conflict to take all 5. necessary measures, in a timely manner, to determine the identity and fate of persons reported missing in connection with the armed conflict; Requests States to pay the utmost attention to cases of children reported 6. missing in connection with armed conflicts and to take appropriate measures to search for and identify those children; Invites States which are parties to an armed conflict to cooperate fully 7. with the International Committee of the Red Cross in establishing the fate of missing persons and to adopt a comprehensive approach to this issue, including all practical and coordination mechanisms that may be necessary, based on humanitarian considerations only; Urges States and encourages intergovernmental and non-governmental 8. organizations to take all necessary measures at the national, regional and international levels to address the problem of persons reported missing in connection with armed conflicts and to provide appropriate assistance as requested by the States concerned; 2