Diplomatic corps

Diplomatic Corps (French corps diplomatique, abbreviated as CD, also German Diplomatic Corps ) is the sum of the diplomatic representatives of other states in a state.

The term has been taken up internationally not well defined and not in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations ( WÜD ). The legal systems of national law, it is rarely used.

Narrow concept of the Diplomatic Corps

According to a definition is the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the same from all government heads of mission. Heads of Mission are in accordance with Article 14Vorlage: § § / Maintenance / ch- page section 1 WÜD ambassadors and Nuncios, the ambassadors, ministers and internuncios and business support. Depending on the design in the practice of States the diplomatic corps can other people belong to, which has accredited the State Department as a member of the Diplomatic Corps.

Belonging to a diplomatic mission, and one existing diplomatic status after WÜD (eg for the wife of Ambassador ) established in accordance with this meaning of the word itself does not belong to the Diplomatic Corps. In general, only the most senior active members of a diplomatic mission are included in the list of the Diplomatic Corps.

Next term of the Diplomatic Corps

According to another are present in the literature on international law view be understood as Diplomatic Corps all members of the diplomatic staff of the diplomatic missions resident in the receiving State. In addition to the head of the mission are the its subordinate staff such as message boards, embassy secretaries and attachés.

Sometimes all staff of a foreign mission, regardless of their function, so for example, also attributed to the administrative and technical staff of an Embassy to the Diplomatic Corps. Administrators can take over management functions in rare cases. If no member of the diplomatic staff of the mission in the receiving State present, the sending State may with the consent of the receiving State, a member of the administrative and technical staff with the management of the current administrative affairs of the mission mandate (Art. 19Vorlage: § § / Maintenance / ch side Abs. 2 WÜD ). The administrative officer is then the supreme representative of the sending State.

International organizations

The heads of the resident in the host country international organizations enjoy a special position. They are due to the sovereignty of the International organization within the community - even against the host country - not accredited in this. The provisions of WÜD are not directly applicable to them. The status of each staff member must be agreed, and it happens that the head of a major international organization, the diplomatic privileges are granted, conferred by the WÜD ambassadors in a closed with the host State Headquarters Agreement. They do not belong to the Diplomatic Corps of the Member State. Due to their comparable with Ambassadors rank the conductors are, however, on official occasions, such as the New Year's Reception of the Diplomatic Corps Head of State invited and shortened designated as members of the diplomatic corps in the official releases.

Organise and chair of the Diplomatic Corps

Institutional structures (eg, an organization, a statute, a branch or similar) does not have the diplomatic corps in general. The rather loose association is customary international law before the dean. Doyen is an ambassador of the longest active in the receiving State. To avoid thorny questions of protocol, many states have determined the apostolic nuncio to the Doyen (eg Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein ). The papal representative in international law has long granted preferential position as spokesman of the diplomatic corps also has in Art 16Vorlage: found § § / Maintenance / ch- page paragraph 3 WÜD their precipitation: the exercise of a receiving State regarding the precedence of the representative of adopted or will adopt in the future the Holy See, without prejudice to the classification of the Heads of Mission in classes. In Germany the function of Doyen 's international contractually assured the nuncio in accordance with the Final Protocol to Article 3 of the Concordat between the Holy See and the German Reich on 20 July 1933.

The doyen represents opposite the receiving State the interests of the whole of the diplomatic representatives. He is active in protocol issues that must be clarified with the representatives of the receiving State, and monitors the respect for the privileges, immunities and exemptions granted to diplomats. If necessary, the dean may protest against the violation of the receiving State. Thus, the Apostolic Nuncio in Switzerland called the Diplomatic Corps at the local Foreign Ministry against the established administrative practice to deliver diplomats due to road traffic offense fines, protested.