13 November 1981

57th plenary meeting

Consideration of effective measures to enhance the protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives

The General Assembly,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General submitted under this item, Reaffirming its resolution 35/168 of 15 December 1980,

Emphasizing the duty of States to take all appropriate steps to protect the premises of diplomatic and consular missions and prevent any attacks on diplomatic and consular representatives,

Recognizing the necessity to ensure the protection, security and safety of missions and of representatives to international intergovernmental organizations, as well as of officials of such organizations,

Deeply concerned about the continued large number of violations of, and failures to respect, the inviolability of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives,

Noting that only a small number of States have so far, in response to the call by the General Assembly last year, become parties to the relevant conventions concerning the inviolability of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives,

Convinced that the reporting procedures established under resolution 35/168 are an important step in the efforts to enhance the protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives,

Desiring to maintain and strengthen those reporting procedures,

1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General;

2. Strongly condemns acts of violence against diplomatic and consular missions and representatives as well as against missions and representatives to international intergovernmental organizations and officials of such organizations;

3. Urges States to observe and to implement the principles and rules of international law governing diplomatic and consular relations and, in particular, to take all necessary measures in conformity with their international obligations to ensure effectively the protection, security and safety of all diplomatic and consular missions and representatives officially present in territory under their jurisdiction, including practicable measures to prohibit in their territories illegal activities of persons, groups and organizations that encourage, instigate, organize or engage in the perpetration of acts against the security and safety of such missions and representatives;

4. Recommends that States co-operate closely, inter alia, through contacts between the diplomatic and consular mission and the receiving State, with regard to practical measures designed to enhance the protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives;

5. Calls anew upon States which have not yet done so to consider becoming parties to the instruments relevant to the protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives, inter alia, the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961, the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963, and the respective optional protocols thereto, as well as the Convention of 1973 on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Internationally Protected Persons, including Diplomatic Agents;

6. Calls upon States, in cases where a dispute arises in connexion with a violation of the principles and rules of international law concerning the inviolability of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives, to make use of the means for peaceful settlement of disputes, including the good offices of the Secretary-General;

7. Invites all States to report to the Secretary-General serious violations of the protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives, invites the State in which the violation took place and, where applicable, the State where the alleged offender is present to report also on measures taken to bring the offender to justice and eventually to communicate, in accordance with its laws, the final outcome of the proceedings against the offender, and further invites the State in which the violation took place to report also on the measures aimed at preventing a repetition of such violations;

8. Requests the Secretary-General to circulate to all States upon receipt the reports received by him pursuant to paragraph 7 above, unless requested otherwise by the reporting State;

9. Requests the Secretary-General to invite States to inform him of their views with respect to any measures needed to enhance the protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives;

10. Requests the Secretary-General, when a serious violation has been reported to him pursuant to paragraph 7 above, to draw the attention, when appropriate, of the State where the violation occurred and, when applicable, of the State where the alleged offender is present to the reporting procedures established in resolution 35/168 and reaffirmed in paragraph 7 above;

11. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its thirty-seventh session a report on the state of ratification of, and accessions to, the instruments referred to in paragraph 5 above, as well as the reports received and views expressed pursuant to paragraphs 7 and 9 above, and invites him to submit any views he may wish to express on these matters;

12. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its thirty-seventh session the item entitled "Consideration of effective measures to enhance the protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives: report of the Secretary-General".