Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 February 2017
The United Nations Conference on the Representation of States in their Relations with International Organizations, held in Vienna from February 4 to March 14, 1975, adopted by a vote of 57 in favor to one against, with fifteen abstentions, a new international convention governing the status and functions of missions and delegations of states to international organizations and conferences.
1 UN Doc. A/CONF.67/16; March 14, 1975; 69 AJIL 730 (1975).
2 An “organ” is defined in Article 1 of the Convention as
(a) any principal or subsidiary organ of an international organization, or
(b) any commission, committee or sub-group of any such organ, in which States are members.
3 UN Doc. A/CONF.67/SR.13, at 4–9.
4 13 UN GAOR Supp. 9, at 11; A/3859, para.51 (1958). For a more detailed background history see 26 UN GAOR Supp. 10, at 2–5; A/8410/Rev.1, paras 9–39 (1971).
5 23 UN GAOR Supp. 9, at 3; A/7209/Rev.1, para.22 (1968).
6 26 UN GAOR Supp. 10, at 8; A/8410/Rev.1 (1971).
7 UN Doc. A/RES/3072( XXVIII), Nov. 30, 1973.
8 UN Doc. A/8753/Add.2, at 2.
9 UN Doc. A/CONF.67/6, at 8. The Romanian view apparently changed after these comments were written because the Romanian Delegation at the Vienna Conference did not show any support for Western moves to write a persona non grata clause into the Convention.
10 UN Doc. A/CONF.67/15, at 1.
11 Arts. 23 & 29.
12 Art. 30.
13 Art. 32.
14 Arts. 33–35.
15 Arts. 58 & 60.
16 Arts. 62 & 63.
17 Art. 65.
18 21 UST 1418; TIAS No. 6900; 1 UNTS 16; 43 AJIL Supp. 1 (1949).
19 33 UNTS 261.
20 UN Doc. A/CONF.67/C.1/SR.21, at 5 & 7.
21 UN Doc. A/CONF.67/C.1/L.105.
22 UN Doc. A/CONF.67/C.1/L.118.
23 UN Doc. A/CONF.67/SR.9, at 5.
24 UN Doc. A/CONF.67.C.1/L.134.
25 “Permanent observer mission” is defined in Article 1 of the Convention as “a mission of permanent character, representing the State, sent to an international organization by a State not a member of the Organization.”
26 UN Doc. A/CONF.67/C.1/L.22.
27 UN Docs. A/CONF.87/C.1/SR.7, at 18–23 and A/CONF.67/C.1/SR.8, at 2–15.
28 UN Doc. A/CONF.67/C.1/SR.11, at 13.
29 UN Doc. A/CONF.67/SR.6, at 10–11.
30 UN Doc. A/CONF.67/SR.7, at 13–14.
31 UN Doc. A/CONF.67/C.1/L.58.
32 UN Doc. A/RES/3166(XXVIII), Dec. 14, 1973; 68 AJIL 383 (1974).
33 UN Doc. A/CONF.67/C.1/L.61.
34 UN Doc. A/CONF.67/SR.13, at 5–6.
35 UN Doc. A/CONF.67/SR.13, at 8.
36 On this subject, see R. R. Baxter, Multilateral Treaties as Evidence of Customary International Law, [1965–66] 41 BYIL 275.