Appointment of Head of the Mission

Subject(s):

Diplomatic immunity — Diplomatic missions — Diplomatic relations

This chapter explores the Article 6 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations which describes the appointment of the head of the diplomatic mission to a foreign state. In essence, the Article expresses that an agrément or approval must be given to the person chosen to be head of the mission, and that the receiving State cannot give reasons to refuse the agrément. The Convention prescribes no form or method for requesting or granting agrément. In addition, the chapter elaborates the reasons for refusal of agrément. It is generally accepted that approval should relate to the proposed head of mission personally rather than to the relations between the sending and the receiving State. However, there are some instances that the public utterances and previous postings of the head of the mission lead to the refusal of agrément, such as in 1891 when China refused to accept Henry Blair as US Minister.