COMMITTEE ON RELATIONS WITH HOST COUNTRY TAKES UP UNITED NATIONS COMPLIANCE WITH CITY’S FIRE REGULATIONS, DIPLOMATIC TRAVEL, GASOLINE TAX ABATEMENT

Committee on Relations

with Host Country

234^th Meeting (AM)

COMMITTEE ON RELATIONS WITH HOST COUNTRY TAKES UP UNITED NATIONS COMPLIANCE

WITH CITY’S FIRE REGULATIONS, DIPLOMATIC TRAVEL, GASOLINE TAX ABATEMENT

The Committee on Relations with the Host Country met this morning to consider questions of Headquarters safety and security, diplomatic travel and gasoline tax abatement.

On diplomatic travel, the representative of the Sudan, participating as an observer, said his country’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Lam Akol Ajawin, had arrived in New York on 20 September to participate in official United Nations functions and had been detained for half an hour in a private room at John F. Kennedy International Airport.  No reason had been given for the detention, which had happened despite the fact that Host Country officials had been notified that he would be arriving.  The Host Country was well aware of its obligations, and the Committee should take measures to ensure that the host country complied with them.

The representative of the United States noted that it spoke well for the Host Country that only one complaint was being registered after the intensive two weeks of visits by Heads of State, Ministers, their families and entourages.  The incident would be investigated, but the investigation would have been easier had the Mission of the Sudan brought the matter to the attention of the Host Country earlier.  There were many angles to be considered.  For example, had courtesies for the Foreign Minister been requested?  It was not enough to notify the Host Country Officials.  Nevertheless, the incident would be thoroughly investigated. 

Noting that the incident could have been avoided, Libya’s representative said he was grateful for the services provided by the Host Country to his country’s delegation on its arrival to participate in the General Assembly. “Everything went on smoothly”, he said.

On another matter, Italy’s representative said his Mission had received a letter on 21 September from New York State authorities with information about changes in the tax exemptions for diplomats on gasoline.  Henceforth, diplomats would not be able to use the oil company credit cards that exempted them from paying the tax.  He asked for clarification from the Host Country.

The United States representative thanked Libya for the kind acknowledgment of his country’s proficient service to Missions.  The issue of the credit cards was being handled by his Mission’s Office of Foreign Missions.  Members of the Office were present at the meeting, and delegations who wished to do so could talk to them after the meeting.  Basically, the situation applied only to the State of New York and it had arisen from a difference in interpretation of a new state directive.  The situation would be resolved and the relevant credit cards would be usable again.  Meanwhile, affected delegations should keep receipts so that equity could be restored, once the situation was settled.

Before adjourning the meeting, Committee Chairman Andreas D. Mavroyiannis ( Cyprus), briefed the Committee on his meeting with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, at which he conveyed the results of his exchanges with New York City authorities over their concerns about the level of United Nations compliance with the host city’s fire regulations.  He said that City authorities had not referred to any legal issues relating to privileges and immunities.  Rather, their concerns dealt with the pace of achieving compliance with local law and security requirements.  The emphasis had been on the need to find a practical way to assure compliance with the relevant safety and security standards, while respecting the sensitivity and special status of the United Nations.

The Secretary-General had said he had been following the issue and had met with the New York City Mayor and City officials in the company of the United Nations Under-Secretary General for Management, Alicia Barcena Ibarra, who was fully engaged on the matter, the Committee Chairperson reported further.  City officials had been reassured that safety and security were issues of priority and that interim measures, though not always totally satisfactory, were being put in place.  There were practical limitations because of the Capital Master Plan and the expenditures approved to complete it.

Concluding, the Chairman said the Secretary-General had assured him that safety and security would be ensured to the maximum degree possible.  The Secretary-General had then asked him to inform City officials that the Secretariat was doing everything possible to address the City’s concerns.

In the final matter today, the Chairman announced that a new member of the Cote d’Ivoire Mission would be elected as a new Vice-Chairman of the Committee.

The 19-member Committee was created in 1971 to oversee practical matters connected with diplomats accredited to the United Nations.  Visas, vehicle parking, financial indebtedness, education and health are within its purview, along with privileges and immunities.  The Committee meets every two months on a regular basis, and emergency meetings can be requested by any Member State at any time, even if not a Committee member.  All States are eligible to participate in the Committee’s work as observers, but only Committee members may vote.

The Committee will next meet on 31 October to consider the annual report of its activities prior to submitting it to the Sixth Committee (Legal).

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For information media • not an official record