Prisoners
of war shall be released and repatriated without delay after the
cessation of active hostilities.
In the
absence of stipulations to the above effect in any agreement concluded
between the Parties to the conflict with a view to the cessation
of hostilities, or failing any such agreement, each of the Detaining
Powers shall itself establish and execute without delay a plan
of repatriation in conformity with the principle laid down in the
foregoing paragraph.
In either
case, the measures adopted shall be brought to the knowledge of
the prisoners of war.
The
costs of repatriation of prisoners of war shall in all cases be
equitably apportioned between the Detaining Power and the Power
on which the prisoners depend. This apportionment shall be carried
out on the following basis:
(a)
If the two Powers are contiguous, the Power on which the prisoners
of war depend shall bear the costs of repatriation from the frontiers
of the Detaining Power.
(b)
If the two Powers are not contiguous, the Detaining Power shall
bear the costs of transport of prisoners of war over its own territory
as far as its frontier or its port of embarkation nearest to the
territory of the Power on which the prisoners of war depend. The
Parties concerned shall agree between themselves as to the equitable
apportionment of the remaining costs of the repatriation. The conclusion
of this agreement shall in no circumstances justify any delay in
the repatriation of the prisoners of war.
