Question of Diplomatic Asylum. Report of the Secretary-General Addendum

A/10139 (PartI)/Add.1

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

The question of diplomatic asylum was addressed in some detail at the twenty-ninth session of the General Assembly by the United States representative to the Sixth Committee during its consideration of the item entitled "Diplomatic asylum". The comments of the United States representative may be found in the provisional summary records of the Sixth Committee (A/C.6/SR-1510 of 3 December 1974).

The Government of the United States maintains the basic propositions put forward in that statement, namely: (1) that diplomatic and territorial asylum are two completely different notions; (2) that the principles asserted as underlying the concept of diplomatic asylum are numerous, are not always articulated in a consistent manner by advocates of the concept, and do not, in fundamental regards, comport with universally accepted norms of international law; and (3) that the noteworthy practice of diplomatic asylum which has existed in Latin America has operated in large measure not merely through treaties, but by common unarticulated understandings.

As a consequence, the Government of the United States does not consider that the practice of diplomatic asylum in Latin America should be viewed as providing a basis for confidence that the practice could usefully be generalized to the international community. Accordingly, the Government of the United States, while considering that the past discussion of this item has resulted in a fruitful exchange of views and elucidation of issues, shares the doubts of those Governments which question the utility of further discussion of this item at the thirtieth session of the General Assembly.