Context:
Union Ministry of External Affairs urged Canada to uphold the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations by ensuring safety of Indian diplomats.
Details – Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961)
What is the Vienna Convention?
- It provides a complete framework for the establishment, maintenance and termination of diplomatic relations on a basis of consent between independent sovereign States.
When does it come into force?
- Adopted on 14th April 1961 by the United Nations Conference on Diplomatic Intercourse and Immunities (Vienna, Austria).
- Entered into force on April 24, 1964, and is nearly universally ratified, with Palau and South Sudan being the exceptions.
What does it codify?
- It codifies the longstanding custom of diplomatic immunity, in which diplomatic missions are granted privileges that enable diplomats to perform their functions without fear of coercion or harassment by the host country.
- It affirms the concept of “inviolability” of a diplomatic mission, which has been one of the enduring cornerstones of international diplomacy.
What is diplomatic immunity?
- It is a privilege of exemption from certain laws and taxes granted to diplomats by the country in which they are posted.
- The diplomats posted in an embassy get immunity, along with his or her family members.
What does it say about obligations of a “receiving State”?
- Receiving State refers to the host nation where a diplomatic mission is located where it has some basic obligations as per Article 22 of the Convention towards the diplomatic missions it hosts on its sovereign territory.
What does Article 22 say?
- Part of Article 22 – The receiving State is under a special duty to take all appropriate steps to protect the premises of the mission against any intrusion or damage and to prevent any disturbance of the peace of the mission or impairment of its dignity.
Basically, the security of any High Commission or Embassy is the responsibility of the host nation. While diplomatic missions can also employ their own security, ultimately, the host nation is accountable for security.
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
Consider the following pairs:
International Agreement/set-up: Subject
1. Alma-Ata Declaration: Healthcare of the people
2. Hague Convention: Biological and chemical weapons
3. Talanoa Dialogue: Global climate change
4. Under2 Coalition: Child rights
Which of the pairs above is/are correctly matched?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2020 Prelims]
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 4 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 2, 3 and 4 only
Answer: (c)
Explanation:
Hague Convention protects children and their families against the risks of illegal, irregular, premature, or ill-prepared adoptions abroad. Hence, pair 2 is not correctly matched.
Under2 Coalition is a global community of state and regional governments committed to ambitious climate action in line with the Paris Agreement. Hence, pair 4 is not correctly matched.
