Sixth Committee (Legal) — 63rd session
Consideration of effective measures to enhance the protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives (agenda item 77)
- Authority: resolution 61/31
Documentation
- Report of the Secretary-General (A/63/121): Full texts of the replies + addendum (Add.1 + Add.1/Corr.1): Full texts of the replies
Background (source: A/63/100)
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 36/33, 37/108, 38/136, 39/83, 40/73, 41/78, 41/79, 42/154, 43/167, 45/39, 47/31, 49/49, 51/156, 53/97, 55/149, 57/15 and 59/37).
At its sixty-first session, the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to submit to the Assembly at its sixty-third 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 61/31).
Consideration at the sixty-third session
The Sixth Committee considered the item at its 14th, 25th and 26th meetings, on 24 October and on 5 and 14 November 2008. Statements were made by the representatives of France (on behalf of the European Union; the Candidate Country the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; the Countries of the Stabilization and Association Process and potential candidates Albania and Montenegro, the EFTA country Iceland, member of the European Economic Area; as well as Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova which aligned themselves with the declaration), Norway (on behalf of the Nordic countries), Canada (also on behalf of Australia and New Zealand), China, Turkey, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Iran (Islamic Republic of), Cuba and Israel. The representative of Cyprus spoke in exercise of the right of reply.
Delegations welcomed the Secretary-General’s report on the topic (A/63/121). They voiced their concern and 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 States of their 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.
The progress in the participation of States in relevant instruments was welcomed by some speakers.
Action taken by the Sixth Committee
At the 25th meeting, on 5 November 2008, the representative of Finland, also on behalf of Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Fiji, France, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Mali, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, 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, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom, subsequently joined by Albania, Benin, Burkina Faso, Ecuador, Gabon, Israel, Latvia, Madagascar and Montenegro, 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.6/63/L.12). At its 26th meeting, on 14 November, the Committee adopted the draft resolution without a vote (A/C.6/63/L.12). Under this draft resolution, the General Assembly would request the Secretary-General to submit to the Assembly at its sixty-fifth 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.
Subsequent action taken by the General Assembly
This agenda item was subsequently considered at the sixty-fifth session (2010)
______________________________________________________________________
A/63/121 - Full texts of reports
|
- Libya |
25 September 2006 | (English) |
|
- Republic of Korea |
11 October 2006 | (English) |
| - Cyprus | 25 October 2006 | (English) |
| - Pakistan | 30 October 2006 | (English) |
| - Cyprus | 29 November 2006 | (English) |
| - Spain | 7 December 2006 | (Original: Spanish) (English) |
| - Pakistan | 17 January 2007 | (English) |
| - Romania | 26 March 2007 | (English) |
| - Turkey | 27 March 2007 | (English) |
| - Lebanon | 30 March 2007 | (Original: Arabic) (English) |
| - Estonia | 15 May 2007 | (English) |
| - Belgium | 31 May 2007 | (Original: French)(English) |
| - Mexico | 5 June 2007 | (Original: Spanish)(English) |
| - Cambodia | 6 June 2007 | (English) |
| - Peru | 11 June 2007 | (Original: Spanish)(English) |
| - Sri Lanka | 20 June 2007 | (English) |
| - Saudi Arabia | 7 August 2007 | (English) |
| - Belarus | 6 September 2007 | (English) |
| - Tunisia | 8 May 2008 | (Original: Arabic/French) (English) |
| - Austria | 12 May 2008 | (English) |
| - Holy See | 13 May 2008 | (English) |
| - Bangladesh | 13 May 2008 | (English) |
| - Senegal | 13 May 2008 | (English) |
| - Sweden | 14 May 2008 | (English) |
| - Czech Republic | 15 May 2008 | (English) |
| - Finland | 15 May 2008 | (English) |
| - Turkey | 15 May 2008 | (English) |
A/63/121/Add.1 - Full texts of reports
- Suriname |
20 May 2008 | (English) |
- Netherlands |
27 May 2008 | (English) |
| - Serbia | 10 June 2008 | (English) |
| - Mauritius | 20 June 2008 | (English) |
| - Greece | 30 June 2008 | (English) |
| - Austria | 8 July 2008 | (English) |
| - Mexico | 8 July 2008 | (Original: Spanish) (English) |
| - United States | 16 July 2008 | (English) |
| of America | ||
| - Slovenia | 12 September 2008 | (English) |
