Geneva Prepares for US-Iran Agreement Signing: Landmark Treaties Signed Here

This Friday, the Swiss city of Geneva will witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the United States and Iran, ending weeks of conflict and opening the door to 60 days of negotiations. The event is chaired by Pakistan, which has served as a mediator between the two sides since the war began with US and Israeli airstrikes on Tehran on February 28.

While the specific representatives of the warring parties and the mediator expected to attend remain unclear, the choice of Geneva as the signing venue carries significant weight. The city, often called the world's 'Peace Capital,' has long been a hub for international diplomatic efforts and has hosted the signing of numerous peace treaties.

Ian Lesser, a senior expert at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, noted several factors that make Geneva an ideal choice. 'Switzerland's neutrality, the presence of the United Nations and multilateral bodies, along with many discreet, suitable locations in Geneva, make it an ideal place for such agreements. It is also a very convenient location logistically,' he said.

The Geneva Conventions (1864 and 1949)

The first Geneva Convention, establishing international rules for the treatment of wounded and sick soldiers, was signed on August 22, 1864. In 1949, 63 countries expanded these rules and signed new Geneva Conventions on August 12. These four conventions, along with additional protocols, form the foundation of international humanitarian law, governing the protection of wounded, sick, and shipwrecked military personnel, the treatment of prisoners of war, and the protection of civilians during wartime.

The Geneva Accords (1954)

This series of agreements ended the First Indochina War between France and the Viet Minh (from December 1946 to August 1954). The accords were signed in Geneva on July 20-21, 1954, by representatives of Cambodia, Laos, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Soviet Union, China, North Vietnam, South Vietnam, and other involved parties. The agreement ended French colonial rule, granted independence to Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, but temporarily divided Vietnam at the 17th parallel.

The Israel-Syria Disengagement Agreement (1974)

Signed on May 31, 1974, with US mediation, this agreement ended the conflict between Israel and Syria following the 1973 Yom Kippur War. It established a separation zone, called for force disengagement, and the release of prisoners of war.

The Egypt-Israel Agreement (Sinai II, 1975)

Signed in Geneva on September 4, 1975, this interim agreement was mediated by US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. The two countries pledged not to use force, Israel withdrew from the Sinai, a UN-monitored buffer zone was created, Israel left oil fields, and the Suez Canal was opened to non-military Israeli vessels.

The Geneva Accords (1988)

A series of UN-mediated agreements signed on April 14, 1988, between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with the Soviet Union and the United States as guarantors, ending the Soviet war in Afghanistan. These accords led to the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan.

The Geneva Agreement (Vance Plan, 1991)

Signed in November 1991 between Croatia, Serbia, and the former Yugoslavia, this ceasefire agreement mediated by US Secretary of State Cyrus Vance called for an immediate end to hostilities, lifting of blockades, and withdrawal of the JNA (Yugoslav People's Army) from Croatia.

The Geneva Initiative (2003)

Also known as the Geneva Initiative, this was a draft for a two-state solution to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, drafted by Israeli and Palestinian officials with support from the Swiss government. The plan included the division of Jerusalem, renunciation of the Palestinian right of return, and annexation of settlements. However, the initiative was not formally adopted by either Israel or Palestine.