Adopted by the 50th WMA General Assembly Ottawa, Canada, October 1998

Preamble

1. In 1899, the first International Peace Conference was constituted in The Hague to discuss the establishment of permanent mechanisms of international law for the purposes of disarmament, prevention of war and the peaceful settlement of disputes. This led to the development of international humanitarian law and the establishment of institutions that were the precursors to the United Nations and the International Court of Justice.
   
   
2. Despite such attempts, the 20th century has witnessed the most brutal wars and the development and use of genocidal weapons of mass destruction.
   

Resolution

3. The World Medical Association therefore acknowledges the Hague Appeal for Peace 1999 campaign and conference, to be held in The Hague on 11-16 May 1999, and subscribes to the following goals:
   
   
   1. the strengthening of international human rights and humanitarian law and institutions;
      
   2. the peaceful settlement of disputes, including conflict prevention and peace building; and
      
   3. disarmament and the elimination of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.