Red Crystal flag: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 06:32, 9 December 2005

Revision as of 06:37, 9 December 2005

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== Rationale ==

[[Image:Red-crystal-pic.jpg|left|thumb|Photo of the new flag at the conference that approved it]]

Because of the controversy over Israel's Magen David Adom and a number of other disputes, for a number of years the introduction of an additional neutral protection symbol has been under discussion, with the Red Crystal (previously referred to as the Red Lozenge or Red Diamond) being the most popular proposal. Other attempts include [[Sri Lanka]] (1957) and [[India]] (1977) who have tried to establish a Red [[Swastika]] and efforts by the national societies of [[Kazakhstan]] and [[Eritrea]] to use a unique combination of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent, similar to the combination of both symbols used by the national society of the Soviet Union until its demise. However, amending the Geneva Conventions to add a new protection symbol required a diplomatic conference of all 192 signatory states to the Conventions. The Swiss government organized such a conference which took place from [[5 December 5]] to [[December 8]], [[2005]], to adopt a third additional protocol to the Geneva Conventions introducing the Red Crystal as an additional symbol with equal status to the Red Cross or Red Crescent (Voted in on [[December 8]], [[2005]], with 98 in favor, 27 opposed, and 10 abstentions - 57 were absent at the vote).

== Usage ==