Precedence between Heads of Diplomatic Missions

Text 1

Protocol and Procedure

Part 6

Ex.1 Match up the words below with their corresponding definitions:

1. precedence

2. protocol

3. extraordinary

4. plenipotentiary

5. chargé d’affaires

6. counselor

7. attaché

8. envoy

9. consul

10. agent

11. minister

a) person who acts for, or who manages or arranges the affairs of another or others

b) person who is attached to the staff of an ambassador

c) right to a priority, or to a senior place

d) diplomatic agent next in rank below an ambassador

e) additional, specially employed

f) State’s agent living in a foreign town to help and protect his countrymen there

g) person at the head of a Department of State (and often a member of the Cabinet)

h) code of behavior as practiced on diplomatic occasions

i) adviser

j) official who takes the place of an ambassador or minister when the ambassador, etc is away

k) (person, e.g. a representative, an ambassador) having full power to act, make decisions, etc (on behalf of his government, etc.)

ORDERS OF PRECEDENCE

A diplomatic agent is concerned with four orders of precedence:

The precedence of a head of mission is based on the class into which he falls:

Ambassador, High Commissioner or Apostolic Nuncio or Pro-Nuncio; Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary or Internuncio (a rank rarely used); Chargés d’Affaires en titre.

Within each class, seniority is based on the date on which the head of mission assumed his duties as such. This is either the date on which he presented his credentials to the Head of State, or alternatively the date on which he notified of his arrival to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and sent or handed to the Minister or Ministry a copy of his credentials, depending on the practice of the country. In most countries the date is that of the presentation to the Head of State, but in some, including the UK, it is the date of handing over the copy of credentials.

If two heads of mission present their credentials on the same day precedence may be determined either by the place in the alphabet or the first letter of the state (in French) of the representative concerned; or, more commonly, by the relative time of the day they officially commenced their functions. Whichever practice of determining precedence is adopted by a state, it must be applied consistently, and not altered without prior notification.

In certain states the diplomatic representative of the Holy See takes precedence over all other heads of mission of the same category.

At gatherings at which all heads of mission are present a Chargés d’Affaires en titre will follow heads of mission of ambassadorial rank, and Chargés d’Affaires ad interim will come third, each Chargé taking precedence within his class according to the date of his assumption of duty. When other members of the diplomatic staff of a mission (including wives) are present they take their place with the head of mission or Chargé in accordance with the precedence.

Precedence is not affected by a head of mission’s credentials becoming temporarily invalid owing to the death of the Head of State who signed or accepted them.

Дата добавления: 2014-12-27