History

Abuse

Diplomatic corps

Naming

Diplomatic bag

A diplomatic bag is a shipping container having diplomatic immunity from search or seizure.

A permanent diplomatic mission is usually known as an embassy, and the head of the mission is known as an ambassador. Missions between Commonwealth countries are known as High Commissions and their heads are High Commissioners. All missions to the United Nations are known simply as Permanent Missions, and the head of such a mission is typically both a Permanent Representative and an ambassador. Some countries have more idiosyncratic naming for their missions and staff: a Vatican mission is headed by a Nuncio and consequently known as an Apostolic Nunciature, while Libya's missions are People's Bureaus and the head of the mission is a Secretary.

In the past a diplomatic mission headed by a lower ranking official (i.e. envoy or minister resident) was known as a legation. Since the ranks of envoy and minister resident are effectively obsolete, the designation of legation is no longer used today.

A Consulate is also a diplomatic office, but undertakes a more restricted range of duties as defined by the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

The diplomatic corps is the collective body of foreign diplomats accredited to a particular country.

The diplomatic corps is not always given any formal recognition by its host country. In some countries, the longest-serving ambassador to a country is given the title Dean of the Diplomatic Corps. The diplomatic corps may also co-operate amongst itself on a number of matters, including certain dealings with the host government.

In some occasions, diplomatic immunity leads to some unfortunate results; protected diplomats have violated laws (including those which would be violations at home as well) of the host country and that country has been essentially limited to informing the diplomat's nation that said diplomat is no longer welcome (the Latin phrase is persona non grata). Such violations have included espionage in a large number of cases, some troubling child custody law violations, rape and even murder in a few cases.

A particular problem is the immunity of diplomatic vehicles to ordinary traffic regulations such as prohibitions on double parking.

In fact, most professional diplomats are representatives of large, powerful nations. They are expected to obey regulations governing their behavior and they suffer strict internal consequences if they flout local laws.

The sanctity of diplomats has been observed for centuries. Genghis Khan and the Mongols were well known for strongly insisting on the rights of diplomats, and they would often take horrific vengeance against any state that violated these rights.

Modern diplomatic immunity evolved parallel to the development of modern diplomacy. In the seventeenth century European diplomats realized that protection from prosecution was essential to doing their jobs and a set of rules evolved guaranteeing the rights of diplomats. These were still confined to Western Europe, and were closely tied to the prerogatives of nobility. The French Revolution disrupted this system as the revolutionary state and Napoleon imprisoned a number of diplomats accused of working against France.

In the nineteenth century the Congress of Vienna system reasserted the rights of diplomats.

Дата добавления: 2014-12-27