Nebenzya accuses U.S. of abusing rights of UN's host country by expelling Russian diplomats
NEW YORK CITY. March 27 (Interfax) - The United States is abusing the rights and duties of the UN's host country by expelling 12 members of the Russian mission to the United Nations, Russian Ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzya told Russian journalists in New York City.
"The expulsion of Russian diplomats, the same as other recent unfriendly steps - the denial of access to Russian diplomatic property, the refusal to issue visas to mission employees, etc. - can be described as the United States' abuse of its rights and duties of the host country [of the UN Headquarters]," Nebenzya said.
"Employees of the Russian mission to the United Nations are accredited with the UN and perform their duties exclusively within the organization's framework," he said.
"Considering that the central bodies of the United Nations are situated on U.S. territory, the host country has a duty to ensure the privileges and immunities of employees of the missions of member countries, as well as foreign citizens employed with the UN Secretariat," Nebenzya said.
"The principal documents regulating the status of employees of national missions on the U.S. territory are the 1946 Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations and the 1947 agreement between the United Nations and the United States on the UN Headquarters," he said.