Sixth Committee (Legal) — 65th session

Consideration of effective measures to enhance the protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives (Agenda item 83)

Documentation

Summary of work

Background (source: A/65/100)

This item was included in the agenda of the thirty-fifth session of the General Assembly, in 1980, at the request of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden (A/35/142).

The General Assembly considered the item annually at its thirty-sixth to forty-third sessions, and biennially thereafter (resolutions  36/3337/10838/13639/8340/7341/7841/7942/15443/16745/3947/3149/4951/15653/9755/14957/1559/37 and 61/31).

At its sixty-third session, the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to submit to the Assembly at its sixty-fifth session a report containing: (a) information on the state of ratification of, and accessions to, the instruments relevant to the protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives; and (b) a summary of the reports received from States on serious violations involving diplomatic and consular missions and representatives and actions taken against offenders, as well as of the views of States with respect to any measures needed or already taken to enhance the protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives (resolution 63/126).

Consideration at the sixty-fifth session

The Sixth Committee considered the item at its 13th and 27th meetings, on 18 October and 5 November 2010.

Statements were made by the representatives of: Belgium (on behalf of the European Union; the Candidate Countries, Turkey, Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the Countries of the Stabilization and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, as well as Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Armenia and Georgia which aligned themselves with the statement), Norway (on behalf of the Nordic countries), China, Cuba, Malaysia and Qatar.

Delegations welcomed the Secretary-General’s report on the topic (A/65/112 and A/65/112/Add.1). They condemned the continuing acts of violence against the security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and their representatives and urged States to respect their obligations under international law and to take all the necessary measures in order to protect the diplomatic and consular missions and the representatives within their territories. Some delegations urged States to comply with relevant reporting procedures. Some speakers also stressed that the breaches by the States of the obligations under the Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic and Consular Relations entail an obligation to make reparation or to take other remedial action. The need and responsibility to take preventive measures was emphasized by some delegations.

Some speakers welcomed the progress in the participation of States in relevant instruments and stressed the need for those States that have not already done so to become parties to such instruments.

Action taken by the Sixth Committee

At the 27th meeting, on 5 November 2010, the representative of Finland, on behalf of Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of Moldova, Romania, the Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Trinidad and Tobago and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, introduced a draft resolution entitled “Consideration of effective measures to enhance the protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives” (A/C.6/65/L.14). At the same meeting, the Committee adopted draft resolution A/C.6/65/L.14 without a vote. Under this draft resolution, the General Assembly would request the Secretary-General to submit to the Assembly at its sixty-seventh session a report containing information on the state of ratification of and accessions to the instruments relevant to the protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives; and a summary of the reports received from States on serious violations involving diplomatic and consular missions and representatives and actions taken against offenders, as well as of the views of States with respect to any measures needed to enhance the protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives. The General Assembly would urge States to report to the Secretary-General in a concise and expeditious manner and in accordance with the guidelines prepared by the Secretary-General.

Subsequent action taken by the General Assembly

This agenda item was subsequently considered at the sixty-seventh session (2012).

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A/65/112 - Full texts of reports
Australia (English)
Austria (2009) (English)
Austria (2010) (English)
Belgium (2008) (Original: French) (English)
Belgium (2010) (Original: French) (English)
Bolivia (Original: Spanish) (English)
Burkina Faso (2008) (Original: French) (English)
Burkina Faso (2009) (Original: French) (English)
Czech Republic (English)
Germany (English)
Greece (2008) (English)
Greece (2009) (English)
Holy See (English)
Iran (English)
Jordan (Original: Arabic) (English)
Mexico (Original: Spanish) (English)
Phillipines (English)
Portugal (English)
Qatar (English)
Serbia (12 February 2009) (English)
Serbia (16 February 2009) (English)
Sweden (English)
Turkey (2008) (English)
Turkey (13 January 2009) (English)
Turkey (30 January 2009) (English)
Yemen (Orignal: Arabic) (English)

A/65/112/Add.1 - Full texts of reports
Austria (English)
Belarus (Original: Russian) (English)
Burkina Faso (Original: French) (English)
Democratic Republic of Congo (Original: French) (English)
Finland (English)
Madagascar (Original: French) (English)
Mexico (Original: Spanish) (English)
Saudi Arabia (Original: Arabic) (English)
Switzerland (Original: French) (English)
Turkmenistan (7 June 2010) (Original: Russian) (English)
Turkmenistan (9 August 2010) (Original: Russian) (English)
United Kingdom (English)


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