VZCZCXYZ0011
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #1077/01 1461623
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 261623Z MAY 06
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9165
INFO RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 0869
RUEHBP/AMEMBASSY BAMAKO 0069
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0267
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 0850
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 0093
RUEHJI/AMCONSUL JEDDAH 0002
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0116

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001077 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
IO/UNP FOR SAM BROCK 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OFDP UN
SUBJECT: UN HOST COUNTRY COMMITTEE DISCUSSES DIPLOMATIC 
PARKING, PRIVILEGES/IMMUNITIES, G-5 VISAS, VISA DELAYS, 
TRAVEL CONTROLS AND AIRPORT SEARCHES 
 
 
¶1. (SBU/NOFORN) Summary. The UN Committee on Relations with 
the Host Country held its 228th meeting on May 17, 2006. 
USUN Minister Counselor for Host Country Affairs represented 
the United States.  In keeping with past practice, the New 
York City Commissioner for the United Nations, Consular Corps 
and Protocol, and her Deputy participated as observers as did 
nearly two-dozen representatives from non-Committee Member 
States.  Agenda items included concerns regarding the 
diplomatic parking program, diplomatic privileges and 
immunities, visa issuance for domestic servants of diplomats, 
visa delays and travel restrictions, and airport searches of 
diplomats.  The chair indicated that he would take up Mali's 
request for a new review of the Diplomatic Parking Program 
and consult further on the request with interested 
delegations.  USUN intends to hold discussions with the 
Chairman and NYC officials with a view to deflect, or at 
least postpone action on the Malian request.  End summary. 
 
Diplomatic parking program 
 
¶2. (U) Concerning the diplomatic parking program, the 
representative from Mali expressed his long-standing 
objection to the adoption of the November 2002 diplomatic 
parking program, arguing that the program is illegal and has 
a negative effect on the operations of the permanent 
missions, especially on diplomatic movement in carrying out 
tasks at the United Nations and elsewhere in New York. 
Welcoming the new Assistant Secretary General for Legal 
Affairs, Larry Johnson, he requested a new review by the UN 
Office of Legal Affairs of the parking program and its 
implementation, because the implementation of the program 
needs to be more flexible and improved. 
 
Diplomatic privileges and immunities 
 
¶3.  (U) Russia's representative (Kuzmin) referred to the 
April 22, 2006 car accident involving Russian Mission 
Attach, Ilya Morosov.  The representative expressed strong 
concern that a diplomat carrying proper documentation was 
deprived of his diplomatic immunities  and arrested, 
handcuffed and detained by the police for several hours in 
spite of his status as a diplomat.  The Russian 
representative stated that this conduct is contrary to both 
the U.S.-UN Headquarters Agreement and Article 29 of the 
Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.  He noted that in 
Moscow, Russian law enforcement authorities have documented 
25 serious violations by American diplomats in the last two 
years that have been resolved on a bilateral basis, and 
Russia believed that it should expect the same treatment from 
other countries.  He also thought the Host Country should not 
have permitted speculative press reports regarding the 
accident, and complained that the Host Country had  not 
provided the Russian Mission with police reports and other 
documents it requested concerning the case. 
 
¶4.   (U) In reply, USRep (Graham) said that the United States 
did not deprive Mr. Morozov of his privileges and immunities, 
but requested that Russia waive Mr. Morozov's immunity so 
that he would face the impending charges.  The United States' 
rapid action in this case was to ensure that the judicial 
process moved smoothly and to minimize embarrassment to the 
Permanent Mission of Russia.  USUN Minister Counselor also 
noted that the United States had a vigorous and free press 
with which the U.S. government would not and could not 
interfere.  The Russian Federation refused to waive immunity 
and inasmuch as Mr. Morozov is no longer in the United 
States, Russian requests for police reports and other 
documentation regarding the precise charges in this case seem 
to be moot. 
 
Issuance of visas for domestic workers 
 
¶5. (U)      Saudi Arabia expressed concern regarding the 
alleged repeated denial of G-5 visas by the American 
embassies in Jakarta, Colombo and Addis Ababa for domestic 
workers with proper documentation applying to work for 
employers at the Saudi UN Mission.  The Saudi representative 
was concerned that such denials were due to the fact that the 
employers were Saudi diplomats.  Replying generally to the 
Saudi statement, USRep gave a detailed description of the 
process and criteria for issuing G-5 visas, explained the 
 
 
 
need for a bona fide employer-employee relationship and 
contract, and provided comments on applicant visa 
eligibility, emphasizing that the nationality of the 
prospective employer was not a factor in visa adjudication. 
If the Saudi Mission experienced additional problems in this 
regard, they should be brought to the attention of USUN. 
 
Visa delays and travel restrictions 
 
¶6. (U) The Cuban representative expressed concern at the 
delay in visa issuance, which has prevented Cuban officials 
from arriving at UN meetings on time and caused the officials 
to miss all or part of official UN meetings.  Separately, the 
Cuban representative voiced serious concern about the 
restrictions the host country places on travel of Cuban 
officials beyond the 25-mile radius of Columbus Circle, New 
York, specifically raising the case of Counselor Rodolfo 
Benitez, whose request to travel to a seminar sponsored by 
the International Peace Academy had been denied.  Forty 
diplomats from other Missions participated.  The Cuban 
representative indicated that this denial is contrary to the 
Vienna Convention, and is selectively discriminatory, 
politically motivated and interferes with the workings of the 
Mission.  The Russian and Venezuelan representatives 
supported the Cuban intervention. 
 
¶7.  (U) In reply, USRep noted that travel restrictions are 
put in place for purposes of national security, and are 
neither arbitrary nor political.  The United States does not 
restrict travel for official UN business and therefore the 
travel restrictions do not interfere with the work of 
Permanent Missions.  In the case of Mr. Benitez, the travel 
was denied because the International Peace Academy is not 
part of the UN system but rather describes itself as fully 
independent.  As such, the travel of Mr. Benitez was not for 
official UN business, and the denial was not inconsistent 
with host country obligations. 
 
Airport searches of diplomats 
 
¶8. (U) The representative from Mali also raised the issue of 
diplomats being subjected to searches at the airport, and 
suggested that Host Country, if it lacks the resources (to 
provide escorts) that would exempt Heads of Mission from 
searches, instead provide them with special identification to 
facilitate entry/exit at New York area airports. 
 
¶9. (U) The chairman summarized the meeting, noted that he 
would take up Mali's request for a review of the diplomatic 
parking program, and would consult with Mali and other 
interested delegations.  He adjourned the meeting after 
announcing that the next (229th) meeting would convene in 
July 2006. 
 
¶10. (SBU/NOFORN) Comment: The meeting was noteworthy for its 
general absence of a strident tone; however, the chair's 
agreeing to Mali's request for a review of the parking 
program is not a welcome development.  Several Committee 
members and observer delegations agree with Mali's contention 
that the program is illegal and inconsistent with host 
country obligations.  A much larger group of UN Member States 
dislike the program and believe that the diplomatic parking 
program was imposed on them without their input or consent. 
Although a 2002 UN legal opinion, issued in response to a 
Committee request, upheld the program as not being 
inconsistent with the United States' obligations under 
international law, several Member States have never accepted 
the opinion.  Also, the UN legal opinion left open the 
possibility that a new legal opinion, which would specifcally 
look at the program's actual implementation, might be 
appropriate in the future. 
 
¶11. (SBU/NOFORN) Comment continued: USUN and OFM/NY will need 
to work proactively and cooperatively with the Chairman and 
the City of New York to deflect Mali's demand for a new legal 
opinion, either by requesting the Chairman to poll Member 
States for their views on which aspects of the program 
present serious problems, or by organizing a small working 
group, perhaps composed of the Committee's Bureau, to 
recommend next steps.  USUN will also urge the NYC Commission 
to address those implementation deficiencies which are the 
 
 
 
cause for many complaints from the other Missions.  End 
Comment. 
 
BOLTON