II. Diplomatic and Consular relations - Safety and Security of Diplomatic and Consular Missions and Representatives

The Twelve's views on the security of diplomatic and consular missions was expressed by the Greek Presidency on 5 0ctober 1988 in a speech in the Sixth Committee of the UNGA. After expressing their concern at the number of violations of diplomatic immunities which had occurred in the elapsed year, the Greek delegate added:

In our view it is essential that all states observe scrupulously the obligations incumbent on them by virtue of general international law as well as the international conventions relevant to the immunities, protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives. Every failure by a state to respect these obligations weakens the whole framework of international relations. This is to be deplored; it cannot serve any state's interests.
The Twelve are determined, as they have always been, to resort to all lawful means, whether on the basis of general international law or of international conventions relating to the protection of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives, in order to prevent violations of immunities of diplomats and combat crimes against them. They remain firmly committed to strengthening international cooperation to this end.
The Twelve wish to repeat that privileges and immunities of missions and representatives have not been granted for personal benefit, but for the smooth and efficient exercise of their functions, to the benefit of international relations as a whole. While sending states have a right to expect that their diplomatic and consular representatives be adequately protected and their immunities strictly observed, it is also of the greatest importance that such missions and representatives operate strictly within the limits prescribed by international law and, in particular, fully respect the laws and regulations of the receiving state. Abuses by missions or representatives of their privileges and immunities can only undermine the public's understanding of the need to respect such privileges and immunities. Prevention of abuses is among the primary concerns of the Twelve who will continue their cooperation in this field.
Mr Chairman, it is imperative that all states fully observe their obligations, whether conventional or deriving from general international law, on these matters. There is, in our view, no lack of international instruments. Indeed, the existing ones do, for the time being, cover all the ground needed and, in this respect, the Twelve hope that states which have not become parties to the relevant conventions will soon decide to do so. The main difficulty does not lie in the lack of international instruments, but in the lack of determination of states to apply them to the full. It is, therefore, in this area that efforts should be concentrated.⁹

9 Doc. 88/309. Similar views had already been expressed during the previous session of the UNGA; see Doc. 87/342.

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