If the UK ever goes to war, the people of St. George?s can take heart in the knowledge that they will be protected from enemy bombardment.

New legislation written in the UK and signed by 114 countries makes it unlawful for signatories to attack areas of important historic and cultural significance ? including St. George?s ? and protects them from the ravages of war.

The Times newspaper reports that Bermuda?s old town is on a provisional list for the Hague Convention of 1954, which is expected to be ratified in the UK in the next Parliamentary cycle.

Thanks to the new Act, any general who bombs St. George?s from now on will be sent directly to jail.

There has already been one successful prosecution under the convention. Pavle Strugar, a commander in the Yugoslav National Army who attacked the Old Town of Dubrovnik in Croatia during the 1991 siege, was sentenced to eight years for breaching the convention.

Strugar was convicted on two counts of ?destruction or wilful damage done to historic monuments and works or art and science?.

An appeal is being made.

Historic St. George?s and its related fortifications became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in November, 2000.

But the east end community has been honoured even further by its new classification of a place of ?cultural heritage of the greatest importance for humanity? as stated in the new convention.

The UK government has prepared a provisional list of 45 sites, but believes that the public should decide which buildings and monuments should be protected, the Times report said.

Countries that have signed up to the convention will be notified of places listed as culturally important and must avoid them at all costs.

The provisional list includes 14 national museums, such as the National Gallery and Tate, 23 world heritage sites, such as Stonehenge and Hadrian?s Wall, and Britain?s seven legal deposit libraries, it said.

It also includes the whole city of Bath, which was declared a United Nations World Heritage Site in 1987, and Saltaire, a West Yorkshire model town listed in 2001. Omissions include St Paul?s Cathedral, Buckingham Palace and Nelson?s Column.

A larger list of sites will be placed under ?general protection?, but the UK?s Department for Culture, Media and Sport believed that it would be unrealistic to expect enemies to avoid more than 50 areas, it said.

All buildings afforded ?enhanced? status will be awarded badges.

Any military leader who attacked a badged building would face criminal charges.

The Times said buildings cannot be protected if they have any military use in times of war or could act as cover for armed forces.