Practices of diplomatic protocol in Geneva

PRACTICES OF

DIPLOMATIC PROTOCOLIN GENEVA

Alice HechtJean-Marc BoulgarisIdriss Jazairy

Published by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) with the generous support of the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations Office and to the other international organizations in Geneva.

Graphics and layout by Franz ThielPrinted by the Printing section of the United Nations Office at GenevaPhoto: UN Photo/Violaine Martin

The opinions expressed in this manual are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), or of any other UN organ, body, agency or organization.

The designations employed and the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion on behalf of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) concerning the legal status of a country, city or area, its authorities or the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

Material in this publication may be freely quoted, but acknowledgement is requested. A copy of the publication containing the quote should be sent to the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), Chemin des Anémones 11-13, 1219 Châtelaine, Switzerland.

© United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) 2015

PRACTICES OF

DIPLOMATIC PROTOCOLIN GENEVA

Alice HechtJean-Marc BoulgarisIdriss Jazairy

Practices of diplomatic protocol in Geneva4

For the past 50 years, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) has been developing capacities of individuals, organizations, and institutions to enhance global decision-making and support country-level action for shaping a better future.

Within UNITAR, the Multilateral Diplomacy Programme (MDP) provides capacity-building training to diplomats, international civil servants, and other government officials, alongside resources to strengthen their performance in multilateral working environments. Five years ago, MDP published the first edition of the Glossary of Terms for UN delegates. In 2011, the program released the Manual for UN delegates, now available in both French and Arabic. It is in line with its mandate and constant endeavour to provide its beneficiaries with the most up-to-date and pragmatic tools that MDP is now making its Practices of Diplomatic Protocol in Geneva publicly available.

UN diplomats are requested to respect the protocol rules in place at the office to which they are assigned. In addition to these rules, each duty station operates according to a certain number of specificities. A diplomat accredited to the United Nations in Geneva can thus be called upon to deal with a range of protocol rules issued from three different sources: the United Nations, the Republic and Canton of Geneva and to a lesser extent the Swiss Confederation.

Newcomers to the Geneva diplomatic life are mostly eager to gather information and quality resources that could steer their behavior in society as well as in official meetings. The Multilateral Diplomacy

Programme of UNITAR is responding to this demand by providing to all diplomats the keys to understanding the rules to be followed in a multilateral setting, specifically in Geneva.

I take this opportunity to wholeheartedly thank Alice Hecht as well as Ambassadors Jean-Marc Boulgaris and Idriss Jazairy for their precious contributions to this publication. I also express my gratitude to the Swiss Mission in Geneva for their support which made the project possible.

Nikhil SethUnited Nations Assistant Secretary-GeneralExecutive DirectorUNITAR

Letter of the Executive Director of UNITAR

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UNITAR wholeheartedly thanks

• The authors of this brochure, Alice Hecht, Ambassador Jean-Marc Boulgaris and Ambassador Idriss Jazairy for the remarkable work they accomplished by compiling their knowledge and experience into this instrumental publication;

• The Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations Office and to the other international organizations in Geneva for having contributed to the printing of this brochure;

• The team members of MDP who have contributed to the realization of this publication and in particular Rabih el-Haddad, Manager of the Multilateral Diplomacy Programme of UNITAR, Evelyne de Mevius, Franz Thiel, and Nancy Yacoub.

Acknowledgement


Alice Hecht

Alice Hecht is a senior consultant at UNITAR on protocol in multilateral organizations and its impact on the conduct of negotiations. Prior to heading the Office of Protocol of the United Nations Headquarters in New York (from 2006 to 2009), Alice Hecht was the Director of Administration of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (from 2003 to 2005). In the period between the two Gulf Wars (from 1992 to 2003), Alice Hecht served as Chief Administrative Officer of the United Special Commission on Iraq where she directed the financial, human resources and logistics services required for the implementation of the United Nations mandates on the destruction of weapons of mass destruction. Alice Hecht is also a lecturer at the Centre d’Etudes Diplomatiques et Stratégiques (CEDS), Paris, and at the International School of Protocol and Diplomacy (ISPD), Brussels. Prior assignments have included positions as Economic Affairs Officer and Population Affairs Officer in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

Alice Hecht was born and educated in Belgium. She holds a Licence in social sciences from the Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium.

Ambassador Jean-Marc Boulgaris

Jean-Marc Boulgaris is a senior consultant at UNITAR and a former Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva. He started his career in the diplomatic service in 1968 and has held many postings, including Deputy Permanent Observer of Switzerland to the United Nations in New York, Political Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs, and Ambassador to Denmark and Colombia. He also represented Switzerland in meetings such as GATT, EFTA, OECD and the International Energy Agency.

In 2003-2004, Ambassador Boulgaris was Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). He served as member of the UNITAR Board of Trustees and is a member of the Board of the Friends of the Conference of non-governmental organizations accredited to the Economic and Social Council in Geneva, Switzerland.

Biography of the authors

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Ambassador Idriss Jazairy

An Algerian career diplomat and international civil servant, Idriss Jazairy, M.A. (Oxon), ancien élève ENA (France), MPA (Harvard), was an Adviser to the Presidency of Algeria, an Ambassador to Belgium as well as to the United States and a Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other international organizations located in Switzerland. At the multilateral level, Idriss Jazairy was President of IFAD, a UN specialized agency. He is, inter alia, the lead author of “The State of World Rural Poverty – An Enquiry into its Causes and Consequences”(New York University).

Biography of the authors


Table of contents

Chapter 1 | The purpose of this publication 13

1.1 Introduction 141.2 Expected users of these guidelines 15

Chapter 2 | The evolution of protocol in diplomacy and negotiations 17

2.1 The meaning of the word “protocol” 182.2 The origins of protocol 182.3 Protocol in ancient history 192.4 Protocol in the Byzantine Empire 202.5 The development of protocol practices in the Catholic Church and the Renaissance 202.6 The Congress of Vienna of 1815 21

Chapter 3 | International treaties on privileges and immunities 23

3.1 Introduction 243.2 The United Nations Charter, 26 June 1945 243.3 The General Convention on Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, 13 February 1946 243.4 The General Convention on Privileges and Immunities of the Specialized Agencies, 21 November 1947 253.5 The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 18 April 1961 253.6 Host Country Agreements 26

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Chapter 4 | The United Nations system 27

4.1 Introduction 284.2 The United Nations 284.3 The funds and programmes, the research institutes and other related entities 294.4 The specialized agencies of the United Nations system 304.5 The related organizations 30

Chapter 5 | The four Protocol and Liaison Services of the United Nations 31

5.1 The Secretariat and the Offices away from Headquarters 325.2 The responsibilities and functions of the Protocol and Liaison Services 325.3 The support of the Host Country 335.4 The role of the permanent missions with regards to protocol support 33

Chapter 6 | Precedence at the United Nations 35

6.1 Order of precedence between Government and United Nations officials 366.2 Order of precedence between the President of the General Assembly and the Secretary-General 366.3 Order of precedence between Government representatives at the United Nations 376.4 Order of precedence between United Nations senior officials 376.5 Seating arrangements for the General Assembly and United Nations conferences 386.6 Order of speakers at the General Debate 39


Chapter 7 | The Swiss Confederation and the United Nations in Geneva 41

7.1 The Swiss Confederation 427.2 Bern and Geneva 427.3 The Republic and Canton of Geneva 427.4 The political system of Geneva 437.5 The importance of Geneva as a centre of international diplomacy 44

Chapter 8 | The complex situation of diplomatic protocol in Geneva 45

8.1 The United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) 468.2 The four actors of protocol in Geneva 468.3 The two Permanent Missions of the Swiss Confederation in Geneva 478.4 The Republic and Canton of Geneva and the City of Geneva 488.5 The Protocol and Liaison Service of UNOG 498.6 The Diplomatic Committee 49

Chapter 9 | The specificities of protocol at Geneva 51

9.1 Order of precedence within the United Nations family 529.2 Order of precedence between senior Government officials 549.3 Order of precedence between Permanent Representatives accredited to the United Nations Office at Geneva 549.4 Order of precedence between members of permanent missions and other delegates 559.5 Order of precedence between the representatives of the Republic and Canton of Geneva and the diplomatic community 56

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Chapter 10 | Policy on gifts at the United Nations 57

10.1 Gifts by Member States to the United Nations 5810.2 Gifts to the Secretary-General 5910.3 Gifts to United Nations officials and staff 59

Chapter 11 | Protocol for mourning at the United Nations 61

11.1 The United Nations flag 6211.2 Book of Condolences 6211.3 Commemoration ceremonies 63

Afterword | Etiquette and decorum in the context of multilateral diplomacy for use at the United Nations Office at Geneva by Ambassador Idriss Jazairy 65

Introduction 661 - Business cards 672 - Invitation cards 683 - Courtesy calls 684 - Correspondence 695 - Organization of, or participation in a meal 706 - Receptions 727 - Introductions 738 - Courtesy 73

Acronyms 74

References 76

Annexes 77


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Chapter 1 I The purpose of this publication

Chapter 1

ITU monument, BernLicensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike

3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

1.1 Introduction1.2 Expected users of these guidelinesThe purpose of

this publication


1.1 Introduction

When the delegates of the 20 founding Member States of the International Telegraph Conference decided in 1868 that the recently created International Telegraph Union (ITU) would establish a permanent organization in Bern, it started a tradition for States to choose Switzerland as the headquarters of a burgeoning number of international organizations. In 1874, the International Postal Union followed suit and chose Bern as its centre. Following the end of the First World War, Geneva became the de facto capital of international organizations.

As a result of the Paris Peace Conference, two major international organizations with headquarters in Geneva were founded. The Treaty of Versailles established the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 1919 and the League of Nations in 1920. The decision to reinvigorate the importance of international organizations as the core of international peace led to the creation of the United Nations with its main headquarters in New York. At the same time, the founding members of the United Nations decided that Geneva should remain at the centre of international diplomacy. The European Office of the United Nations was created in the Palais des Nations, and became the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) in 1966. The international position of Geneva was strengthened in the subsequent decades when numerous agencies, funds and programmes, research institutes and other international organizations selected Geneva to establish their headquarters.

51 States belonged to the United Nations when the Charter came into force on 24 October 1945. 193 States are now parties to it and all have a representation in New York. Two Observer States, the Holy See and the State of Palestine, also have a permanent mission in New York and in Geneva. The number of States with a permanent mission in Geneva is slightly less important and amounts to 173.

Multilateral diplomacy calls for a renewed awareness of protocol rules and customs with a cross-cultural perspective. These well-established and time-honoured rules allow nations and peoples from a wide range of cultures and values to conduct their activities with dignity in an environment devoid of frictions. Such animosity can easily arise when one of the parties concerned does not feel treated with respect. Hierarchy and structure provide a framework for negotiations, the essence of diplomacy, to be organized in a clear and transparent manner.

Even well-experienced protocol practitioners can find the protocol practices of the multilateral world challenging in comparison to the well-defined protocol rules that reign in a bilateral environment. Newcomers to Geneva are faced with numerous challenges in dealing with the complexity of the multilateral environment. This guide aims to provide answers to the questions that arise when organizing and attending both a public or private event.

Who is entitled to diplomatic privileges and immunities? How is the order of speakers at a conference decided? Many questions can emerge when organizing an official or social event attended by a number of dignitaries. What is the difference between the Head of an agency and the Head of a fund or programme? Who has precedence? What is the status of United Nations officials? How does the Swiss Confederation organize its protocol? Is it appropriate to give a gift to a United Nations official? How should the President of an international corporation, which supports major United Nations related activities, be received?

Current protocol practices are rooted in history but evolve continuously. There is always a legitimate reason behind a protocol rule or practice.

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Chapter 1 I The purpose of this publication

Protocol is not set in stone. It echoes cultural and political environments and has to be flexible in order to serve its main purpose of supporting relationships between actors working in a multilateral environment. A brief history of protocol is presented in the first part of this publication. It provides the rationale behind these processes and is aimed at helping protocol practitioners to make the necessary adjustments in particular situations.

The words “protocol” and “etiquette” are often used indiscriminately. “Protocol” in its strict sense refers to a set of rules and procedures that regulate the relationships between Governments and their representatives on both official and private occasions. “Etiquette” refers to the manners and behaviours of individuals whether on official or private business. All States recognized as such by the United Nations follow the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. International protocol holds that a Head of State takes precedence over all other officials, and that Heads of State rank in the order that they took office. In turn, etiquette and manners reflect a culture specific to a certain country. A handshake is appropriate is some cultures but not in all. Dress codes vary from country to country.

In reality, there are many overlaps between protocol and etiquette. While this publication focuses on protocol, we have requested Ambassador Idriss Jazairy to provide a summary of the etiquette and decorum practices in use in the context of the United Nations at Geneva (UNOG). The reader will find this chapter in the afterword of this publication.

1.2 Expected users of these guidelines

This publication is primarily intended for the staff members of the permanent missions in Geneva who are responsible for the on-going liaison between the permanent missions and the United Nations organizations in Geneva, as well as for organizing the attendance of high-Government officials to United Nations events. It also covers subjects of interest to the wide range of international community members in Geneva, whether representatives of international organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGO) or other entities linked to the work of the United Nations.

This publication may also be helpful to participants in other kinds of international meetings and conferences, whether organized by civil society, NGO’s or the private sector.

This publication is not a substitute for the detailed protocol guidelines and administrative instructions provided by the United Nations in New York (UNHQ), the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG), the Swiss Confederation and the Republic and Canton of Geneva. These documents are listed in the bibliography at the end of this publication and can in part be found in the annexes of this brochure.

The objective of this publication is to provide an overview of the protocol rules, regulations and customs as practiced within the United Nations family in Geneva.

Whenever we refer to a delegate, an official, a staff member, etc., we could be speaking of either a female or a male. This publication uses the inelegant but understandable wording of he/she, him/her and his/her. Likewise, ’they‘, ’them‘ and ’their‘ imply either gender.


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Chapter 2 I The evolution of protocol in diplomacy and negotiations

Original Geneva ConventionsKevin Quinn, Ohio, US - Flickr. Sous licence Creative

CommonsAttribution 2.0 via Wikimedia

Chapter 2

2.1 The meaning of the word “protocol”2.2 The origins of protocol2.3 Protocol in ancient history2.4 Protocol in the Byzantine Empire2.5 The development of protocol practices in the Catholic Church and the Renaissance2.6 The Congress of Vienna of 1815

The evolution of protocol in diplomacy and negotiations


2.1 The meaning of the word “protocol”

Protocol is defined in the Oxford Dictionary as “the official procedure or system of rules governing affairs of State or diplomatic occasions”. The term protocol is derived from the Greek word protokollen, a fusion of the words protos (first) and kola (glue). It referred to a sheet of paper glued to the front of a document to provide it with a seal of authenticity, a practice that serves as a reminder of today’s Letters of Credentials.

The term “protocol” is nowadays used in the medical, scientific, and even legal and political fields. One of the most famous uses of the term “protocol” is the Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement on climate change. In the scientific and research arena, a “protocol” will refer to the record of scientific and experimental observations. In all cases, the term provides the idea of strict rules and procedures recognized and accepted by all concerned parties.

In the world of multilateral diplomacy, protocol provides a clear and transparent system that allows for all participants to an event organized by the United Nations, whether public or private, to understand the position they are being given in all aspects of their official functions.

2.2 The origins of Protocol

We tend to relate the emergence of protocol with the development of States in the context of international relations. The more global our world has become, the more relevant it is to appreciate the logics and reasons behind a so-called protocol system. Protocol provides a framework to support international relationships and negotiations. The multiplication of States since the creation of the United Nations has given a renewed impetus to the importance of protocol. Of course, rules of protocol have long preexisted States. The need to negotiate issues and to find peaceful solutions to frictions arising out of territorial disputes or interactions between communities with different cultures and traditions is as old as humanity. The exchange of gifts between parties, the recognition of titles associated with a social and political position, the use of emblems to distinguish a group from another and the hosting of social events have always been part of human relations and used as tools during negotiations. Envoys representing the interests of a group in negotiations with another group and the immunity provided to these envoys have always been indispensable for communication between groups and parties.

Formal rules of protocol are not part of the world of private institutions and corporations. However, the same principles apply everywhere. Commercial negotiations that bring together individuals across borders have also always used an unwritten system of precedence. Corporations negotiate with each other through representatives who are entrusted to make decisions on their behalf. Moreover, such negotiations are usually accompanied by a social event under the same principles as the social events organized at the occasion of an international conference.

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2.3 Protocol in ancient history

Traces of protocol can be found throughout ancient history. Egypt had the basics of a diplomatic system back in the 14th Century B.C. when dealing with neighbouring States. By the 8th Century B.C., China had organized a system of missions to manage the immensity of its territory.

Messengers were widely used in ancient Greece and Greek mythology; depicting a system of gods led by Hermes to ensure their security. Messengers and envoys were protected through an unwritten but recognized system of immunities from both aggression and arrest. They were the first true diplomats of the Western world. During times of war, they provided an on-going mean of communication between the battling parties.

As early as the 8th Century B.C., Greece began to expand throughout the Mediterranean world and established a constellation of city-States linked by a common culture and commercial interests. The model of city-States was very different from how we understand States today. For instance, there was no Head of State, no common Government, not even a common military system. To the contrary, these city-States were often in conflict with each other and established alliances when necessary to defend common interests. The system of city-States eventually dominated all the territories within the Mediterranean Sea. Colonies were set up by Greek emigration.

The prosperity of the city-States and the distances between them led to the development of a system of representation and reciprocity through the use of Proxenos. A Proxenos is the equivalent of what we would call an honorary consul – a representative looking after the interests of another city-State’s citizens. The Proxenos was provided with a Proxenia, a document that established his credentials.

The Proxenos’ main function was to defend the economic and political interests of the city-State he represented. The effectiveness of the Proxenos rested upon his ability to develop a network of political, economic and social connections that he would use to promote the interests of the city he represented. As such, Proxenos needed to have an understanding of the local politics and to be excellent negotiators. Their influence was primordial to prevent disagreements from escalating into military conflicts. They understood that peace was the prerequisite to prosperity. In case of conflict, they were expected to use all their political influence and connections to engage the parties in peace negotiations.

There is one preexisting condition for the materialization of protocol in diplomacy and international affairs: the desire of the parties to solve problems through constructive engagements rather than through the use of force. Throughout history, we can see how diplomacy and protocol progressed when nations abandoned warfare in favour of negotiations.

When nations extend their hegemony through sheer military strength, there is no avenue for diplomacy and protocol to flourish. The Roman Empire in its hegemony had a policy of approaching and solving problems through territorial expansion. Resistance to Rome’s rule was met by fierce military power as the Empire used to solve problems by imposing its will trough the use of force. As long as it was in full strength, the Empire did not see the need to give consideration to the concerns of its neighbours. The strength of the army coupled with a strong centralized power gave full control to the Empire’s leaders to expand the realm of their territorial influence through brutal force.


Peace demands that all parties are treated with respect and that their views are listened to in times of disagreement. Even though States are rarely, if ever, partners of equal political and socio-economic strength, rules of protocol allow for the parties and their representatives to feel that they are treated as equals. In a way, protocol neutralizes the possibility for human emotions to derail collaborative relationships between States by disregarding issues such as pride, inferiority or even the physical size of those involved.

Inevitably, following their separation into two States, with the Eastern Roman Empire having its capital in Constantinople and the remnants of the Roman Empire having its capital in Rome, pre-eminence in world affairs was lost. Neither faction had the ability of imposing its political agenda on other nations through the sheer use of force.

To fill this power vacuum, the political influence of the Church grew further when the Western Roman Empire was destroyed, in the 5th Century of our era. Precedence and protocol emerged as important tools in the rivalry between the Roman Catholic Church and the Byzantine Empire.

2.4 Protocol in the Byzantine Empire

The Emperors in Constantinople developed a system of complex ceremonies and rules of precedence to maintain their political influence. The end of the Western Roman Empire presented the opportunity for the Emperor in Constantinople to claim that he was the legitimate heir of the Roman Empire. The competition for political power with the Roman Catholic Church became fierce. As the importance of the Roman Catholic Church increased all over Europe, so did protocol. The envoys of the Pope from Rome were greeted around Europe – but especially in Constantinople – with sumptuous and complicated ceremonies to provide an image of an Emperor with a level of power and wealth that in reality he did not have. As the Empire was declining, the protocol followed grew more and more painfully intricate and the expression “byzantine” became the definition for situations rendered unduly complicated through the use of complex of processes.

2.5 The development of protocol practices in the Catholic Church and the Renaissance

The authority of the Roman Catholic Church expanded throughout Europe and the Pope had Papal emissaries dispatched to the various royal courts. These emissaries had precedence over secular envoys, a practice still followed in some Catholic countries where the Nuncio1 is granted the deanship of the diplomatic corps regardless of seniority. Rules and directives concerning the status and privileges of Papal envoys developed and served as a model for all secular envoys. Letters of Credentials provided the Papal envoys with the authority to act on behalf of the Pope.

1 The term Nuncio is derived from the word nuncios that means “envoy” in Latin.

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Northern Italy followed in the steps of the Catholic Church and established its first embassies in the 13th Century. Ceremonies for the presentation of Ambassadors’ credentials to the Head of State became the norm. Other European powers saw the benefit of having permanent missions and Ambassadors representing their interests in other countries and diplomatic representations spread to Eastern Europe, Russia and the Ottoman Empire.

As the number of royal courts grew, so did the competition between Ambassadors. Each Ambassador wanted precedence in ceremonies and social events to show the importance of his sovereign. In the absence of a system accepted by all courts, issues of precedence could take monumental proportions. A famous clash occurred in London in 1661 when a precedence issue was raised at the arrival of the carriages of the French and Spanish Ambassadors. War was narrowly averted.

2.6 The Congress of Vienna of 1815

The prime objective of the Congress was, in the aftermath of the end of the Napoleonic wars, to provide long-term peace for Europe. Despite its efforts, the decisions taken at the Congress did not prevent wars and conflicts in Europe. Nor did the Congress give birth to any international organization. However, it revealed a new approach for States to settle their disputes by establishing the principle of “conference diplomacy” as a tool for peaceful negotiations between conflicting factions.

It was the first time in the history of diplomacy that a conference of such dimension was organized. The conference lasted six months and was attended by some fifteen members of Royal families, 200 Princes and countless Heads of diplomatic missions. It brought together the victorious countries of Austria, Prussia, the United-Kingdom, Russia and representatives of Spain, Sweden, Portugal, the various kingdoms of Italy, the Holy See, etc. It also included vanquished France.

The presence of a number of Kings, Princes, Dukes, Ministers, and representatives created a quandary in the diplomatic hierarchy as each country wanted to impose its own system. The representatives of the major European powers also recognized the importance of protocol in diplomacy and adopted an international system of diplomatic ranks and titles still in use today: Ambassadors, Papal legates, Ministers plenipotentiary, Ministers resident, and Chargés d’affaires. They furthermore defined an order of precedence between diplomats according to their rank and the date of the presentation of their credentials.

The Congress also decided that country representatives would be seated at meetings according to the French alphabetical order and reaffirmed the principle of diplomatic immunity protecting diplomats from prosecution – a concept famously ignored by Napoleon when he refused to acknowledge diplomatic immunity by imprisoning several British diplomats accused of scheming against France.

The principle of organizing seating according to alphabetical order of country names is still followed today. If the English alphabetical order has taken pre-eminence, the French alphabet is still followed in conferences organized in Geneva and other French-speaking countries.


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Chapter 3 I International treaties on privileges and immunities

The Netherlands sign the United Nations Charter26 June 1945

UN Photo/McLain

Chapter 3

3.1 Introduction3.2 The United Nations Charter, 26 June 19453.3 The General Convention on Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, 13 February 19463.4 The General Convention on Privileges and Immunities of the Specialized Agencies, 21 November 19473.5 The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 18 April 19613.6 Host Country Agreements

International treaties on privileges and immunities


• The codification of diplomatic intercourse and immunities was selected as a topic by the International Law Commission (ILC) at its first session in 1949.

• The issue became a regular agenda item at the meetings of the ILC until the UN Conference on Diplomatic Intercourse and Immunities met in Vienna from 2nd March to 14 April 1961 and adopted the Convention.

• Delegates from 81 countries, 75 of which were members of the United Nations and 6 of related agencies or parties to the Statute of the International Court of Justice, attended the Conference.

3.1 Introduction

The fundamentals of diplomatic protocol are rooted in the system of “privileges and immunities”. This system allows diplomats to exercise their duties in a foreign country in full security of their person, the members of their household, their workplace (embassy or mission), their private residence, their documents, etc. When the United Nations was established, the privileges and immunities of its officials and of the Member States representatives needed to be defined. The current legal system is based on a series of international agreements starting with the United Nations Charter up until the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Immunities of 1961.

3.2 The United Nations Charter, 26 June 1945

The privileges and immunities of international organizations were largely uncharted territory when the United Nations was established in 1945. The Charter, in its Article 105, paragraph 1, specifies that “[t]he Organization shall enjoy in the territory of each of its Members such privileges and immunities are necessary for the fulfilment of its purposes”. The Preparatory Commission recognized that an adequate system of privileges and immunities was essential for officials of the United Nations to remain free from pressure exerted by Governments and to enable them to discharge their post’s duties efficiently.

3.3 The General Convention on Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, 13 February 1946

It was with on this background that the Convention on Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations was negotiated and adopted by the General Assembly on 13 February 1946. Sometimes referred to as the New York Convention, it defines and specifies numerous issues related to the status of the United Nations, its assets and officials, in terms of privileges and immunities that must be granted to them by the Member States in which they reside.

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Chapter 3 I International treaties on privileges and immunities

According to the New York Convention, only the Secretary-General, the Deputy Secretary-General, the Under-Secretary-Generals and the Assistant Secretary-Generals have diplomatic immunities. All other officials of the United Nations are granted functional immunities. In addition, UNDP, UNFPA, UNCDF and UNICEF were established by the General Assembly as funds and programmes of the United Nations. As such, they are covered by the 1946 Convention.

3.4 The General Convention on Privileges and Immunities of the Specialized Agencies, 21 November 1947

Subsequently, the General Assembly recognized the need for agencies to enjoy the status of a legal person and extended their privileges and immunities modelled on those granted to the United Nations. The General Assembly adopted the Convention specific to the agencies in November 1947. The Convention was submitted to the specialized agencies for acceptance and entered into force on 2 December 1948.

3.5 The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 18 April 1961

Finally, 16 years after the creation of the United Nations, the Conference on Diplomatic Intercourse and Immunities took place in Vienna. It adopted the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, an international treaty that enumerates the privileges and immunities granted to the members, premises, and communications of diplomatic missions. It also distinguished between the various categories of the members of diplomatic missions. Two years later, the United Nations adopted a closely related treaty, the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

In its preamble, the Vienna Convention enumerates these conditions by clearly stating “that the purpose of such privileges and immunities is not to benefit individuals but to ensure the efficient performance of the functions of diplomatic missions as representing States”.


3.6 Host Country Agreements

The relationships between the United Nations and the various host countries are governed by individual Host Country Agreements. These Agreements detail the responsibilities of each party and the level of privileges and immunities granted to the staff of the United Nations. They follow common principles especially with regard to the privileges and immunities of the United Nations, its staff and Government representatives coming to duty stations on United Nations business, as well as regarding security matters, taxation and internal administration. However, each Host Country Agreement has its own specificities.

• The Host Country Agreement between Switzerland and the United Nations was signed on 19 April 1946. It followed the final meeting of the League of Nations held in Geneva on 12 April 1946. This session concerned itself with liquidating the League and transferring assets worth approximately 22 million USD in 1946 (including the Palace of Peace and the League’s archives) to the UN. The League of Nations ceased to exist on 20 April 1946.

• Switzerland was a member of the League of Nations but remained an Observer State of the United Nations until 10 September 2002, when, further to a referendum, it decided to become a full Member of the United Nations.

• Switzerland had, despite its non-membership, participated in the interval in a number of specialized UN agencies. It had, for example, been a member of the International Telecommunication Union since 1866 and a member of the Universal Postal Union since 1875.

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Chapter 4 I The United Nations system

The Dag Hammarskjold Library and the UN building in New York10 November 2011

UN Photo/JC McIlwaine

Chapter 4

4.1 Introduction4.2 The United Nations4.3 The funds and programmes, the research institutes and other related entities4.4 The specialized agencies of the United Nations system4.5 The related organizations

The United Nations system


4.1 Introduction

The overall structure of the United Nations family impacts on its protocol and it is therefore important to have a sound understanding of its various components. Lots of confusion can arise when referring to the United Nations. The term is used indiscriminately, especially in the media, in reference to international organizations that are linked to different degrees to the United Nations itself. The mention of the United Nations will sometimes refer to the United Nations Secretariat, sometimes to the funds and programmes, sometimes to the various agencies that are part of the large United Nations family. We will, in this chapter, provide an overview of what constitutes the United Nations in its largest term, that is the United Nations itself, the funds and programmes, the research institutes, the agencies and the organizations associated to the United Nations through specific agreements.

4.2 The United Nations

The Charter defines six main organs2:

• The General Assembly (UNGA) All Member States are represented at the General Assembly. • The Security Council (UNSC)Composed of five permanent Member States – China, France, Russia, United Kingdom and United States – and ten non-permanent Member States elected by the General Assembly for a two-year term.

• The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)The 54 Members of the ECOSOC are elected by the General Assembly.

• The Trusteeship CouncilThe Trusteeship Council is the only organ of the United Nations having completed its mandate.

• The International Court of Justice (ICJ)The ICJ is composed of fifteen judges elected to nine-year terms by the General Assembly and the Security Council. The ICJ has its headquarters in The Hague.

• The Secretariat, headed by the Secretary-GeneralThe some 45,000 staff of the Secretariat implement, under the

The Trusteeship Council suspended operations on 1st November 1994, with the independence of Palau, the last remaining United Nations trust territory, on 1st October 1994.

2 For a detailed explanation, please visit http://www.un.org/en/sections/about-un/main-organs/index.html

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Chapter 4 I The United Nations system

leadership of the Secretary-General, the work programmes mandated by the General Assembly, the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council. The Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council3. As international civil servants, staff members and the Secretary-General answer to the United Nations alone for their activities, and take an oath not to seek or receive instructions from any Government or outside authority. The General Assembly approves the budget of the Secretariat through its Fifth Committee.

4.3 The funds and programmes, the research institutes and other related entities

The funds and programmes, the research institutes and the “other entities” that are part of the United Nations were all created by General Assembly resolutions. However, they have their own administrative and executive boards reviewing and approving their work programmes. UN funds and programmes are financed through voluntary contributions rather than assessed contributions. The budgets of all these organizations are reviewed by the same body, the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), but are approved by their individual governing bodies.

This category includes:

• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)• United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)• Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) • World Food Programme (WFP) • United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)• United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)• United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) • United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) • United Nations Office for Project Service (UNOPS)• United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) • UN Women• United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT)

As well as the following main research and training institutes:

• United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR)• United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)• United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI)• United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD)• United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC)• United Nations University (UNU)

3 Charter of the United Nations, Chapter XV, Article 97 .


4.4 The specialized agencies of the United Nations system

The United Nations specialized agencies4 are autonomous organizations working with the United Nations and funded by both voluntary and assessed contributions. The agencies have each their own Member States assembly, similar to the UNGA, and are completely independent from both the United Nations and the UNGA with regards to their work programme and budget. The Head of each agency is selected by the agency’s own governmental body according to its own rules. Some of the UN agencies, like the ILO, predate the creation of the United Nations. Specialized agencies are autonomous organizations that work with the United Nations and each other through the coordinating mechanism of ECOSOC.

The UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB5) provides a forum for coordination and cooperation on a whole range of substantive and management issues common to the United Nations and the United Nations system agencies. The CEB is chaired by the UN Secretary-General. In addition to its regular reviews of contemporary political issues and major concerns facing the UN system, on the basis of recommendations from bodies reporting to it, the CEB approves policy statements on behalf of the UN system as a whole.

• Food an Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO)• International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)• International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)• International Labour organization (ILO)• International Monetary Fund (IMF)• International Maritime Organization (IMO)• International Telecommunication Union (ITU)• UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)• UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)• Universal Postal Union (UPU)• World Health Organization (WHO)• World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)• World Bank Group (WBG)• World Meteorological Organization (WMO)• World Tourism Organization (WTO)

4.5 The related organizations

Some international organizations have long-term established relationships with the United Nations through individual arrangements:

• Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization Preparatory Commission (CTBTO PrepCom)• International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)• Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)• World Trade Organization (WTO)

4 A complete list of the agencies can be found on: http://www.un.org/en/sections/about-un/funds-programmes-specialized-agencies- and-others/index.html5 For further details, please visit: https://undg.org/home/about-undg/governance-structures/chief-executives-board/

31

Chapter 5 I The four Protocol and Liaison Services of the United Nations

A view of UN Offices in Nairobi31 March 2011

UN Photo/Mark Garten

Chapter 5

5.1 The Secretariat and the Offices away from Headquarters5.2 The responsibilities and functions of the Protocol and Liaison Services5.3 The support of the Host Country5.4 The role of the permanent missions with regard to protocol support

The four Protocol and Liaison Services of the United Nations


5.1 The Secretariat and the Offices away from Headquarters

In addition to the Secretariat in New York, referred to as the “Headquarters” (UNHQ), the United Nations has three “Offices away from Headquarters” (OAHs):

• The United Nations Office in Geneva (UNOG)• The United Nations Office in Vienna (UNOV)• The United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON)

These Offices are headed by a Director-General (DG) who acts as the direct representative of the Secretary-General.

New York, Geneva, Vienna, and Nairobi host permanent missions with Permanent Representatives accredited to the respective United Nations Offices. These three Offices facilitate diplomatic activities and are major centres of United Nations conferences. While the United Nations maintains an important presence in many other countries, there are no other locations with permanent missions accredited to the United Nations.

The UNHQ and the three Offices away from Headquarters have each a Protocol and Liaison Service. Each of these offices acts as a liaison between the United Nations and the permanent missions of Member States, the Observer States, international organizations, other organizations of the United Nations system and entities approved by the General Assembly. It is to be noted that agencies of the UN system have their own protocol service.

5.2 The responsibilities and functions of the Protocol and Liaison Services

The core responsibilities and functions of the Protocol and Liaison Services in all four duty stations are similar:

• Provide assistance for the opening of new permanent missions;• Plan and execute the ceremony for the presentation of credentials of newly appointed Permanent

Representatives;• Prepare and coordinate the visits to the United Nations by Heads of State, Heads of Government,

Cabinet Ministers and other high-level officials, as well as the programme for their spouses;• Receive and escort dignitaries during their visit at the United Nations;• Coordinate with the various United Nations Offices for the visit of high-Government officials i.e Office

of the Secretary-General, security, media, conference services, etc.;• Accredit all Government officials, representatives of intergovernmental organizations and others

accredited to the General Assembly, the representatives of non-governmental organizations, etc. attending United Nations events and provide the appropriate access passes;

• Register members of the diplomatic community and liaise with the Host Country on visa issuances and other administrative issues for the international diplomatic community;

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Chapter 5 I The four Protocol and Liaison Services of the United Nations

• Accompany the Secretary-General, the Deputy Secretary-General, and the Director-General on some official foreign travels, and provide protocol coverage of their activities at major international events;

• Organize the meetings of the Secretary-General, the Deputy Secretary-General, and the respective Directors-General with international dignitaries;

• Plan the social diplomatic events for the Secretary-General, the Deputy Secretary-General, and the respective Directors-General, as well as those for their spouses;

• Oversee the planning and execution of United Nations ceremonies;• Provide guidance and advice to permanent missions of Member States, permanent observer missions

and permanent observer offices, and other requesting clarifications on United Nations protocol usage and practice, diplomatic etiquette, order of precedence and the use of the United Nations flag;

• Publish and maintain lists of dignitaries: the Manual of Protocol, the United Nations “Blue Book”, a list of Heads of State, Heads of Government, and Ministers of Foreign Affairs, and a list of United Nations senior officials7.

5.3 The support of the Host Country

The Host Country provides key services to the diplomatic community including:

• Airport arrival, departure and diplomatic “special” aircraft over flight and landing clearances;• Security support for visiting dignitaries and for the diplomatic community, according to set rules and

standards;• Provision of diplomatic identity cards, privileges and immunities;• Liaison with local authorities.

5.4 The role of the permanent missions with regards to protocol support

Permanent missions work together with the United Nations Protocol and Liaison Service and the Host Country to ensure that the visits of their dignitaries to the United Nations are managed without flaws. This practice starts from the point of arrival to the point of departure in the duty station. Their duties in this regard can be summarized as follows:

• Be responsible for all logistic support for the visit of dignitaries i.e hotel, limousines, family, etc.;• Liaise with the Host Country on airport courtesy, security arrangements, airport landing clearance, etc.;• Inform the Service of protocol of the arrival of a new Permanent Representative and of any change in

the diplomatic staff of the mission;• Request the accreditation for the visit of the dignitaries;• Request the proper passes for the dignitaries, their entourage, the accompanying press and media;• Be responsible for all the official activities of dignitaries outside the United Nations.

7 For further details, please visit https://www.un.int/protocol/


35

Chapter 6 I Precedence at the United Nations

A view of the Human rights Council Chamber 10 June 2014

UN Photo / Jean-Marc Ferré

Chapter 6

6.1 Order of precedence between Government and United Nations officials6.2 Order of precedence between the President of the General Assembly and the Secretary-General6.3 Order of precedence between Government representatives at the United Nations6.4 Order of precedence between United Nations senior officials6.5 Seating arrangements for the General Assembly and United Nations conferences6.6 Order of speakers at the General Debate

Precedence at the United Nations


6.1 Order of precedence between Government and United Nations officials

The task of establishing precedence is probably more complex at the United Nations than in any traditional national apparatus, simply because, as a rule, protocol and social functions involve several groups of participants. These include Heads of State or Government, Cabinet Ministers, Permanent Representatives and Permanent Observers, senior United Nations officials, intergovernmental organizations and the larger UN family of specialized agencies. The task is compounded by having to balance the numerous national titles, such as State Secretary and Director-General or senior Vice-Minister and Special Adviser with cabinet rank, and to give each of them their proper due.

It is notable that the Manual of Protocol of the United Nations prepared by the New York Protocol and Liaison Service opens with the following statement: “This publication is by no means an exhaustive review of protocol matters and diplomatic etiquette’’8.

The issue of precedence of Government representatives to the United Nations was settled in 1968 through a Note from the Secretary-General. The fact that it took twenty-three years after the creation of the Organization to come up with a satisfactory solution is a clear indication that the issue was the subject of heated debates9.

6.2 Order of precedence between the President of the General Assembly and the Secretary-General

The President of the General Assembly is held to be the most senior official, followed by the Secretary-General when the General Assembly is in session. That order is reversed for the rest of the year when the Assembly is not in session. This situation is rather unique in the world of multilateral diplomacy.

The underlying reason therefor is that the President of the General Assembly is elected by Member States for a one-year period and remains an official of his/her Government during his/her term as President. He/she presides over the General Assembly, which is the main deliberative, policy making, and representative organ of the United Nations. The General Assembly provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion, which encompasses the full spectrum of international issues covered by the Charter. It meets in regular session from September to December each year, and thereafter as required.

The Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council for a five-year, renewable term. He/she heads the Secretariat which carries out the day-to-day work of the Organization according to the work programme set up by the General Assembly. He/she also services the other principal organs of the United Nations and administers the programmes and policies laid down by them.

8 Ibid.9 Precedence of representatives to the United Nations: note by the Secretary-General, DOCUMENT A/CN.4?L.129, 3 July 1968.

37


When the Secretary-General travels outside the duty stations, he/she is usually received with the same protocol as bestowed to a Head of State or Head of Government, and at a minimum, a Minister of Foreign Affairs. It is up to the Host Country to decide on the level of protocol required when organizing the visit of the Secretary-General.

6.3 Order of precedence between Government representatives at the United Nations

The precedence of Government representatives takes into account a combination of criteria. In accordance with international practice, Heads of State have precedence over Heads of Government, Deputy Heads of Government, Ministers of Foreign Affairs and other Cabinet Ministers.

However, a specific order of precedence is used when meeting senior officials elected to United Nations main organs. This order can be summarized as follows10:

• President of the General Assembly• President of the main organs: Security Council, ECOSOC, Trusteeship Council and ICJ• Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly with the rank of Minister of Foreign Affairs or Cabinet

Minister• Heads of State• Heads of Government• ex-Presidents of the General Assembly• Ministers of Foreign Affairs• Other Cabinet Ministers, Chairmen of the General Assembly Committees• Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs• Permanent Representatives

6.4 Order of precedence between United Nations senior officials

The Secretary-General has precedence over all senior officials of the United Nations system. Precedence between United Nations senior staff members follows a number of unwritten practices and takes into consideration the hierarchical rank of their position.

The Director-Generals of UNOG, UNOV and UNON are given first precedence over other United Nations officials at their duty station. Heads of agencies and Heads of funds and programmes have precedence over Under-Secretary-Generals and Assistant Secretary-Generals.

10 Ibid., paragraph 5.


The following order is commonly used:

• Secretary-General of the of the United Nations• Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations• Director-Generals of UNOG, UNOV, UNON• Heads of agencies • Heads of funds and programmes• Under-Secretaries-Generals• Assistant-Secretaries-Generals• Directors

When an international event is hosted by a Member State, the State will determine the order of precedence it wishes to apply taking into account the practices followed at the United Nations.

Chapter 9 outlines the details of the orders of precedence followed in Geneva.

6.5 Seating arrangements for the General Assembly and United Nations conferences

The criterion of alphabetical order of the names of States is used for seating at the sessions of the General Assembly and international conferences11. Since it would be inequitable to always have the countries whose names appear early in the alphabet sitting at the front, the name of the country from which the alphabetical order will start as of the following year is drawn by the Secretary-General every year. This happens right before the opening of the General Assembly session. That country will occupy the front-most left position.

The alphabetical order is usually designated in the English language unless the meeting is held in a French-speaking country, in which case the French alphabetical order prevails. The French alphabetical order is followed in Geneva.

A small ceremonial accompanies Heads of State when they address the General Assembly. A special armchair with a high back is placed on the podium when a Head of State addresses the General Assembly. The Chief of Protocol will escort the Head of State to the armchair while the audience applauds. The Chief of Protocol will then escort the Head of State from the armchair to the lectern. The same, in reverse, will apply when the Head of State concludes his/her speech.

11 Ibid.

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6.6 Order of speakers at the General Debate

The order of speakers is given first to Member States, then to Observer States and finally to intergovernmental organizations with an observer status. Any other observer entity will have a chance to speak at the end of the Debate, if so desired.

The order of speakers for the opening session is:

• The Secretary-General of the United Nations• The President of the General Assembly• The President of Brazil, by tradition since the 10th Session of the General Assembly in 1955• The President of the United States, as President of the Host Country

If the Head of State of the President of the General Assembly wishes to speak at the opening meeting, it is customary to grant him/her the floor after the President of the United States has finished his/her speech.

While Heads of State are given precedence over Heads of Government, it is also common, for scheduling purposes, to have Heads of Government speak at the same session as Heads of State. The Holy See, the State of Palestine and the European Union are invited to participate in the General Debate. Their speaking slot is determined by the rank of their representative.


41

Chapter 7 I The Swiss Confederation and the United Nations in Geneva

Secretary-General Addresses Swiss Parliament11 September 2012

UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré

Chapter 7

7.1 The Swiss Confederation7.2 Bern and Geneva7.3 The Republic and Canton of Geneva7.4 The political system of Geneva7.5 The importance of Geneva as a centre of international diplomacy

The Swiss Confederation and the United Nations in Geneva


7.1 The Swiss Confederation

Protocol traditions in Geneva emanate from the political structure of the Swiss Confederation. To understand the way protocol is applied in Geneva, it is important to grasp the principles of the political system in place in Switzerland. The official name of Switzerland is the Swiss Confederation and not the Helvetic Confederation as it is sometimes referred to. The use of the term “Confederation” reflects the Swiss political system as it existed before 1848. The Confederation is since that date a federal State composed of 26 Cantons and half-Cantons. The system operates on a constitutional division between the federal and cantonal levels. The Cantons retain many jurisdictions ranging from education to health care and public safety. The main areas of competence retained by the federal Government comprise foreign affairs, defence, finance, economics, external trade, social insurances, energy and law. Some shared competencies with the Cantons include justice, social security, economy and transport.

The Government is called the Federal Council. It is composed of 7 members and acts as a college. The Federal Council is the Head of State. However, each year, a member of the Council is elected as President of the Confederation according to a principle of rotation. As such, he/she fulfils certain ceremonial functions as if she/he were the Head of State.

The parliament consists of two chambers. The National Council is composed of 200 members and represents the people. Similarly, the Council of States hosts 46 members and represents the Cantons. The presidents of both bodies are elected for a period of one year. When a member of the Federal Council represents the latter in a public ceremony at the national level, an usher wearing a cocked hat and a red and white coat accompanies him/her.

7.2 Bern and Geneva

One should remember that the capital of Switzerland is Bern – where all bilateral embassies are located. One Agency of the United Nations system, the Universal Postal Union (UPU), has since its establishment in 1874 been headquartered in Bern.

Due to the Swiss federal structure, diplomats based in Geneva can be found, depending on the circumstances, in the position of having to adhere to certain federal or cantonal protocol rules. However, the federal protocol applies only in the rare cases when senior Swiss officials are on visit in Geneva. For everything related to the United Nations, the rules prevailing in the Republic and Canton of Geneva together with the practices followed at UNOG apply.

7.3 The Republic and Canton of Geneva

Due to the federal system enshrined in the constitution of Switzerland, the Republic and the Canton of Geneva works in close cooperation with the Permanent Mission of Switzerland, the representative of the Host Country, in all protocol matters related to the United Nations’ organizations in Geneva.

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Chapter 7 I The Swiss Confederation and the United Nations in Geneva

7.4 The political system of Geneva

The Republic and Canton of Geneva is based, as any democratic State, on three levels of power: the executive, the legislative and the judicial.

The Council of State represents the executive power. It is composed of 7 members, among which one acts as President during the entire legislature. The cantonal parliament, the Grand Council, only hosts one chamber. As regards the judicial power, the Attorney General, who is elected by the people and directs all magistrates, occupies a special position.

Each Canton is divided into municipalities that have their own legislative and executive powers. The most important of them is the city of Geneva where the executive is called the Administrative Council. The Administrative Council is a board composed of five people that is chaired on an annual rotation basis by one of its members who then bears the title of Mayor of Geneva. He/she takes office annually on the 1st of June.

It should be noted that, both at the cantonal and city level, it is customary for the magistrate representing the executive power during a ceremony to be accompanied by a usher wearing a cocked hat and a red and yellow bicoloured coat.

Some major United Nations programmes, departments and institutes are headquartered in Geneva:• Office of the United Nations

High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

• United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

• International Trade Centre (ITC)

• Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)

• United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)

• Office of the High-Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

• United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR)

• United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)

• United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD)

• International Computing Centre (ICC)

Municipalities of the Canton of Geneva, 2007Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons


7.5 The importance of Geneva as a centre of international diplomacy

Over the last century, the number of international organizations that have established their headquarters in Geneva has grown exponentially. Today, Switzerland is home to 24 international organizations, 21 of which are headquartered in Geneva.

Close to 250 non-governmental organizations – most of which are affiliated to the United Nations – are based in Switzerland. Geneva is recognized as the world’s centre for international conferences and is as such regarded as a major operational base for activities in both the economic and social fields.

Since joining the UN in September 2002, Switzerland has been active in all United Nations programmes, notably in issues ranging from security, peace, combating poverty, and human rights adherence and promotion, to the safeguarding of natural resources. Membership offers Switzerland the opportunity to participate in the search for solutions to global problems, and to accept its share of responsibilities for exerting a positive influence on world affairs. However, the UN also offers Switzerland the ideal forum within which to represent its own national interests. Reaching agreements between all States is essential for dealing with the major challenges facing today’s world, and contributes to the stability of the international system.

It is therefore in the interest of Switzerland to help promote a strong and well-functioning UN. To this end, Switzerland participates actively in the debates on UN reforms, and, by contributing with ideas and pragmatic proposals, helps drafting tangible solutions. Switzerland has managed to make itself heard on an important number of questions including the creation of a Human Rights Council, the reform of the Security Council, international policies on the environment, development cooperation and humanitarian aid, promotion of the rule of law, as well as a number of financial and administrative issues.12

Five agencies of the United Nations family have their headquarters in Geneva:

1. The International Labour Organization (ILO)

2. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

3. The World Health Organization (WHO)

4. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

5. The World Intellectual Property (WIPO)

The Universal Postal Union (UPU) has its headquarters in Bern.

12 For more details, please visit: http://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home/topics/intorg/un.html

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Chapter 8 I The complex situation of diplomatic protocol in Geneva

Palais des Nations, Geneva14 February 2014

UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré

Chapter 8

8.1 The United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG)8.2 The four actors of protocol in Geneva8.3 The two Permanent Missions of the Swiss Confederation in Geneva8.4 The Republic and Canton of Geneva and the City of Geneva8.5 The Protocol and Liaison Service of UNOG8.6 The Diplomatic Committee

The complex situation of diplomatic protocol in Geneva


8.1 The United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG)

The core of the United Nations activities in Geneva is the United Nations Office at Geneva housed in the Palais de Nations. With over 1,600 staff, UNOG is the second largest United Nations Office, after the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

UNOG is responsible for the administrative and other support services for various United Nations organizations. However, its main function is to provide conference facilities for the United Nations meetings held in Geneva as well as for United Nations conferences held in other locations; both within and outside Switzerland. In any given year, UNOG services more than 8,000 meetings.

Heads of State, Heads of Government, Ministers, Government officials of all ranks, thousands of delegates, representatives of intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, and leaders of international corporations meet in Geneva on an on-going basis to address international issues, exchange ideas, and debate. The Palais des Nations offers a unique opportunity for personnel to meet privately in the various rooms available and discuss in all secrecy.

8.2 The four actors of protocol in Geneva

The protocol arrangements in vigour to guide the activities of diplomats accredited to the United Nations in Geneva involve various actors:

• The Host Country represented by the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations Office and to the other international organizations in Geneva;

• The Canton and Republic of Geneva;• The Protocol and Liaison Service of the United Nations Office at Geneva; and• The Diplomatic Committee.

The following chapter will systematically detail how these actors collaborate to provide protocol support to the permanent missions, the United Nations and other international organizations based in Geneva.

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8.3 The two Permanent Missions of the Swiss Confederation in Geneva

The Swiss Confederation is represented in Geneva by two Permanent Missions.

8.3.1 The Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations Office and to the other international organizations in Geneva

Usually referred to as the Swiss Mission, the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations Office and to the other international organizations in Geneva13 represents the Host Country in its relations with the international organizations and other permanent representations. It has a dual role.

The Multilateral Division performs all tasks specific to multilateral diplomacy. It:

• Represents and protects national interests;• Participates in the activities of the various organizations;• Negotiates on behalf of the Swiss Confederation, etc.

The Host Country Division endorses the core responsibilities that usually fall under the jurisdiction of a federal service of protocol. It:

• Operates as the Protocol Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;• Manages the status of 24 international organizations, 253 permanent missions and close to 40,000

employees;• Deals with all questions raised by the regime of privileges and immunities;• Is responsible for issuing and withdrawing the “cartes de légitimation” provided by the Federal

Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA); • Is the diplomatic channel to all the Swiss authorities (federal, cantonal and municipal) for all matters

related to international organizations, permanent missions and their staff.

It is the Swiss Mission that represents the federal Government at the arrival of dignitaries on official duty at Geneva airport.

8.3.2 The Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA)

The Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the WTO and the EFTA focuses on economic issues and monitors the work of the related United Nations bodies: the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the International Trade Centre (ITC).

13 For further details , please visit: https://www.dfae.admin.ch/eda/en/fdfa/foreign-policy/international-organizations/un/ch-missions-un/ mission-geneva.html


8.4 The Republic and Canton of Geneva and the City of Geneva

The Swiss federal system gives to the Cantons of the Confederation a large autonomy in several sectors. The Republic and Canton of Geneva thus has a central role to play in hosting international organizations located on its territory. It has developed specific protocol rules contained in the “Règlement concernant le Protocole” (Geneva Protocol Regulations, see Annex 1)14.

The authorities of the Republic and Canton of Geneva, the City of Geneva and the Canton of Vaud support the Swiss Mission in many of its protocol and liaison functions through specific activities located in the following services and offices:

• The Protocol Service of the Republic and Canton of Geneva• The Public Relations Service of the City of Geneva• The Office of Public Affairs of the Canton of Vaud

One of the most common occasions for diplomats to be confronted to the Geneva protocol is at the arrival and departure of dignitaries at the Geneva International Airport (AIG), coordinated by the AIG Protocol Office (Service Accueil et Protocole).

The arrival ceremony is often organized according to the following scheme in the event of a motorcade:

• The Chief of Protocol of the Republic and Canton of Geneva greets the person arriving at the arrival gate/ladder and accompanies him/her to the receiving line;

• The first person on the receiving line is an usher with a red and yellow coat and a hat. He/she should not be greeted. The usher is only there to accompany the member of the Government of Geneva. According to Geneva protocol practices, he/she has to be at the right hand side of the member of Government in all ceremonies held in Geneva;

• The President of the State Council of Geneva or a member of the Council heads the receiving line;• The Chief of Protocol presents each person on the receiving line;• Parties enter their cars;• Upon departure, the Protocol Service is always present but the presence of a member of the Geneva

Government is not compulsory.

In the Republic and Canton of Geneva, public buildings permanently fly the flag of Geneva. Most permanent missions raise their national flag at their chancery but seldom at the residence.

Geneva protocol foresees that missions and residences should raise their flags at least on the following days of each year: May 5th, June 1st, August 1st, December 11-12th, and December 30th and 31st, which are all commemorative days in Geneva.

14 The “Règlement concernant le Protocole” goes together with a Law on Protocol, the “Loi sur le Protocole”, published by the Grand Council of the Canton and Republic of Geneva in September 2011: http://www.ge.ch/legislation/rsg/main.html.

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8.5 The Protocol and Liaison Service of UNOG

Located within the Office of the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, the Protocol and Liaison Service of UNOG15 provides all the protocol and liaison functions required by the Secretary-General, the Deputy Secretary-General, the Director-General of UNOG, and the diplomatic community associated to the United Nations in Geneva.

The Protocol and Liaison Service of the United Nations Office at Geneva has compiled guidelines on diplomatic courtesy in Geneva for the convenience of the diplomatic community. These guidelines aim for a better understanding of Geneva’s diplomatic scene and provide useful information for the diplomatic community. The guidelines detail the process required to open a permanent mission, the presentation of credentials by a newly appointed Permanent Representative, protocol upon assuming functions and end of tenure, registration forms, etc. (see Annex 2 – Guidelines on diplomatic courtesy in Geneva).

8.6 The Diplomatic Committee

The Diplomatic Committee is a tripartite forum for consultation and discussion of all issues that have an impact on the work of the diplomatic community in Geneva. It seeks to promote and strengthen the relations between the Host Country, the diplomatic community in Geneva, and UNOG.

The Committee meets periodically and is composed of two representatives at an ambassadorial level nominated by each regional group, as well as by the Representative of China. The Chairman of the Committee is selected among the members of the diplomatic community on a geographical rotational basis for a one-year term, starting on 1st January of each calendar year. A Vice-President is also selected to act in the absence of the Chairman and automatically assumes the presidency the following year.

The Committee may consider all questions of general interest, including privileges and immunities, housing, transport and insurance, with a view to expressing opinions and proposing solutions to the Host Country or to the Director-General of UNOG. The Committee may also discuss questions related to the security of missions and their personnel with the Host Country.

Representatives of the Host Country regularly participate in the meetings of the Committee. The Director-General of UNOG, the Chief of the Protocol and Liaison Service, and the Legal Adviser of UNOG also participate in the work of the Committee. They provide assistance, and bring to notice questions of mutual interest concerning the Headquarters Agreement concluded by international organizations and the Swiss Federal Council in April 1996.

15 For further details, please visit: http://www.unog.ch/80256EE600583A0B/(httpPages)/C74E8320A262FCAEC12578540038D46F?OpenDoc ument


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Chapter 9 I The specificities of protocol at Geneva

Name plates at the General Assembly 5 September 2012

UN Photo/JC McIlwaine

Chapter 9

9.1 Order of precedence within the United Nations family9.2 Order of precedence between senior Government officials9.3 Order of precedence between Permanent Representatives accredited to the United Nations Office at Geneva9.4 Order of precedence between members of permanent missions and other delegates9.5 Order of precedence between the representatives of the Republic and Canton of Geneva and the diplomatic community

The specificities of protocol at Geneva


9.1 Order of precedence within the United Nations family

Geneva’s status is rather special due to the number of international organizations, programmes and specialized agencies having their headquarters in the City of Calvin.

The Secretary-General and the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations have precedence over all other officials of any international organization whether or not the organization is part of the United Nations system.

In the absence of the Secretary-General or the Deputy Secretary-General, the Director-General of UNOG has precedence over the Director-Generals and Secretary-Generals of international organizations.

In turn, the Heads of international agencies have precedence over the Heads of United Nations funds and programmes, subsidiary organs, research institutes, etc. The logic behind this rule is that the Heads of international agencies represent intergovernmental organs that are independent from the United Nations General Assembly, while the Heads of United Nations funds and programmes, subsidiary organs, research institutes, etc. represent organizations that are all subsidiary to the General Assembly. The custom is that Heads of agencies are ranked according to the date the specialized agency signed an agreement with the United Nations. Heads of United Nations programmes are ranked according to the date of the creation of the programme. However, the UNDP Administrator has, by tradition, precedence over the Heads of other United Nations programmes.

The order of precedence in Geneva would be as follows:

• Secretary-General of the United Nations• Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations• Director-Generals of UNOG, UNOV, UNON• Heads of ILO, FAO, UNESCO, ICAO, UPU, IMF, WBG, WHO, ITU, WMO, IMO, WIPO, WTO, IAEA, UNIDO,

IFAD• Heads of UNDP, UNCTAD, UNEP, UNHCR, UNRWA, UNICEF, UNFPA, WFP, UNODC, OHCHR• Under-Secretaries-General• Assistant Secretaries-General • Directors

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The ranking of the specialized agencies can be pictured as follows:

The ranking of the funds and programmes and subsidiary bodies is as follows:


9.2 Order of precedence between senior government officials

The United Nations follows international practices with regards to precedence of government officials:

• Heads of State• Heads of Government• Ministers of Foreign Affairs• Other Cabinet Ministers• Permanent Representatives• Others

9.3 Order of precedence between Permanent Representatives accredited to the United Nations Office at Geneva

Permanent Representatives who are Head of a delegation are ranked after the Ministers. They are then followed by their collaborators, starting with those with the rank of Ambassador. Importantly, as it is up to each country to rank people within its own delegation according to its own rules, the mission will need to notify the Protocol and Liaison Service of a newly arriving representative and his/her rank within the mission. Although the order within missions can differ, the following list represents the norm used by most missions to organize their order of precedence:

• Minister • Permanent Representative• Ambassador • First Secretary• Second Secretary• Others

There are three governing principles of precedence between members of diplomatic missions16:

• The class of the individual in the sending State’s diplomatic service; • Whether or not the person is the Chargé d’affaires of the mission; • The date/time the individual assumed her/his responsibilities.

The nature of an event will often dictate whether a Permanent Representative will be given precedence over another even if he/she has a more recent date of receiving credentials. For example, when dealing with representatives of the WTO also covering UNCTAD and UNECE, precedence is always given to the Permanent Representatives at UNOG as they are accredited to the United Nations. The same rule applies even if an Ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament represents his country in one of the United Nations organs’ meetings.

16 Precedence of representatives to the United Nations: note by the Secretary-General. DOCUMENT A/CN.4 L.129, 3 July 1968.

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One should note that the seats in the meeting rooms are arranged in alphabetical order. This implies that there is no order of precedence during the sessions, as each country is considered as sovereign to nominate its representatives. However, if a social event takes place in this framework, the order of precedence will be applied.

9.4 Order of precedence between members of permanent missions and other delegates

9.4.1 Order of speakers at an international conference

The order of speakers at an international conference in Geneva would be as follows. After the Executive Director opens the conference, follow:

• Heads of State• Heads of Government• Ministers• Regional group representatives• Delegates from Member States • Intergovernmental organizations • Specialized agencies• Non-governmental organizations

9.4.2 Precedence between Permanent Representatives and Heads of secretariats of international organizations

The Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva takes precedence over Permanent Representatives.

Directors-General or Secretaries-General of specialized agencies should be given precedence over Permanent Representatives when invited by a Permanent Representative.

As to other intergovernmental organizations, their Heads should be given precedence over Permanent Representatives when this practice is in conformity with the nature of the social gathering in question.

In social gatherings in honour of a famous figure, the latter takes precedence over all other guests. In such cases, this should be mentioned in the invitations. In social gatherings organized by or in connection with special bodies, their established practices prevail.

Traditionally, in view of the long-presence of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Switzerland, the President of the ICRC takes precedence over Permanent Representatives, while the latter take precedence over other officials of the ICRC.


9.4.3 Precedence between Permanent Representatives and other delegates attending conferences

In social gatherings related to a conference, precedence between Heads of delegation is determined either according to the alphabetical order of the countries represented, or in conformity with the established practices of the conference in question. Presiding officers may take precedence over other Heads of delegation. In gatherings that are not related to a conference, precedence is usually given to Permanent Representatives.

9.4.4 Precedence between Permanent Representatives and Ambassadors

According to the Guidelines on Diplomatic Courtesy in Geneva, between Permanent Representatives accredited to the Geneva Office and the Permanent Representative of the Host Country, precedence can, by courtesy, be given to the latter. It should be noted, however, that Heads of mission with dual accreditation to the United Nations and to the Swiss Confederation should respect the federal protocol rules in the course of the performance of their official duties as Ambassadors to Switzerland (see Annex 3 – Protocol Regulations for the Swiss Confederation).

9.5 Order of precedence between the representatives of the Republic and Canton of Geneva and the diplomatic community

The Republic and Canton of Geneva and the City of Geneva organize various events jointly with the Swiss Confederation such as receptions, concerts, and opera performances for the diplomatic corps.When an event is organized and includes political representatives from the Republic and Canton of Geneva as well as the international community in Geneva, the Geneva Protocol Regulations apply. Often, when two or more parties are ranked at the same level, the Geneva representative is given precedence as “host”. If there are two (or more) parties in addition to the local representative, the protocol of the United Nations (or whichever applicable body, e.g. churches/teaching bodies) will apply. Swiss protocol is only used when a member of the Swiss Federal Council attends a ceremony, which is seldom the case. Otherwise, it is the Geneva protocol that applies.

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Chapter 10 I Policy on gifts at the United Nations

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Receives Gift from Senegalese Artist 12 March 2008

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Chapter 10

10.1 Gifts by Member States to the United Nations10.2 Gifts to the Secretary-General10.3 Gifts to United Nations officials and staff

Policy on gifts at the United Nations


The exchange of gifts is part of a long-term tradition in protocol. At the same time, the United Nations has to be very careful in the ways in which it handles gifts, awards, decorations, etc. in order to ensure that it maintains the highest ethical standards. In that regard, the United Nations distinguishes between gifts from Member States to the Organization and gifts to United Nations officials.

10.1 Gifts by Member States to the United Nations

The United Nations Office at Geneva inherited a considerable number of works of art from the League of Nations, whose headquarters were located in the same building, the Palais des Nations. Since the Second World War, and especially during the past decade, this collection has been enlarged to a remarkable extent, largely due to the many generous donations from the United Nations Member States. Today, the collection comprises a large number of works of art, including sculptures, frescoes, stained glass panels, tapestries, paintings, portrait drawings, engravings, prints, posters and even caricatures. The work of some artists is characterized by the use of unique or unusual materials and techniques.

In principle, Member States are limited to one gift, but in a few instances, more than one offering has been accepted. They are usually substantial in size and/or in value. Member States are therefore responsible for the installation of the offered artefacts to the Organization and their maintenance. At UNOG, proposals for donations are presented to the Cultural Activities Committee, which decides whether the proposed work is consistent with the principles of the United Nations art collection, and whether the practical requirements for its installation can be met.

Individual artists and non-governmental organizations often seek to present works of art to the United Nations. While some were accepted in the past, the policy that has been strictly observed for the last 20 years is to accept gifts only from Member States. The ceremonies for the unveiling of these gifts are conducted and coordinated by the Office of Protocol.

Note from the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon: “The good name of the United Nations is one of its most valuable assets, but also one of its most vulnerable. Integrity and accountability should be the guideposts for each and every one of us”.

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Chapter 10 I Policy on gifts at the United Nations

10.2 Gifts to the Secretary-General

The exchange of gifts is a traditional part of diplomatic courtesy. Dignitaries who visit the Secretary-General will often come with gifts. These gifts are always received by the Chief of Protocol on behalf of the Secretary-General. They need to be checked by security and are therefore not opened during a public ceremony. This is also a discreet way to avoid any possible embarrassing situation. What is an appropriate gift in one culture might not be so appropriate in another. When in travel, the Secretary-General regularly receives gifts from visiting officials in New York and other travel destinations. These gifts are considered personal and it is left to the discretion of the Secretary-General to dispose of them.

10.3 Gifts to United Nations officials and staff

The United Nations Organization is very concerned with ensuring both the independence and impartiality of its staff members. As such, it prohibits its officials to receive any favours, gifts or remuneration from governmental and non-governmental sources17. Given the refusal of a gift would cause embarrassment to the Organization, a staff member may receive it on behalf of the Organization and entrust it to the Secretary-General or its designated officials. In practice, “consumable goods” (e.g., alcohol, chocolates, etc.) may be kept by the officials, after having been reported to the appropriate office, but must be shared with colleagues. Nominal gifts (for example calendars or books) can also be kept by the officials. All other gifts have to be deposited with the United Nations.

17 Staff regulation 1.2 and staff rule 1.2 and ST/AI/2010/1 Reporting, retaining and disposing of honours, decorations, favours, gifts or remuneration from governmental and non-governmental sources.


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Chapter 11 I Protocol for mourning at the United Nations

The United Nations flag at headquarters flies at half-mast in memory of the United

Nations peackeepers who lost their lives in a helicopter crash in Sierra Leone30 June 2004

UN Photo/Mark Garten

Chapter 11

11.1 The United Nations flag11.2 Book of Condolences11.3 Commemoration ceremonies

Protocol for mourning at the United Nations


11.1 The United Nations flag

The flag of the United Nations was adopted by the General Assembly as an official emblem of the Organization on 7 December 1946. Subsequently, the Secretary-General issued a Flag Code on 19 December 194718.

The United Nations flag is flown at half-mast upon the death of a Head of State or Head of Government of a Member State for one day. The Flag Code specifies that the flag should be flown at half-mast immediately upon learning of the death. However, the practice has evolved and nowadays, the Chief of Protocol will ask the permanent mission which day the flag should be flown at half-mast. Many Member States opt for the day of the funerals. When the United Nations flag is lowered, no other flags are flown. The flags are not lowered once they are already flying. This means that the United Nations flag will be at half-mast from sunrise to sundown.

The Secretary-General can decide to fly the flag at half-mast for more than one day under exceptional circumstances. The United Nations flag was flown at half-mast for two days in 2003 after the bombing of the United Nations building in Baghdad; and for seven days after the earthquake in Haiti in 2010 that claimed the lives of more than 200 United Nations personnel and their family.

The Head of each duty station will decide when the United Nations flag should be flown at half-mast at the duty station.

11.2 Book of Condolences

Upon the death of current and past Heads of State, Heads of Government and Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the mission will send a “Note Verbale” to the Chief of Protocol indicating when the Book of Condolences will be available. There is no order of precedence to sign the Book of Condolences. In general, the first page is reserved for the Chief of Protocol. He/she usually signs the Book of Condolences on behalf of the Secretary-General, who might in some cases wish to sign the book in person. The Secretary-General may also decide to send a personal letter to the Government and to the family of the deceased.

18 The United Nations Flag Code and Regulations, UN ST/SGB/132, 11 November 1952.

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Chapter 11 I Protocol for mourning at the United Nations

11.3 Commemoration ceremonies

Commemoration ceremonies for fallen staff or other ceremonies of remembrance are fortunately not in the standard repertoire of a Protocol Officer. And yet they have to be held on occasion, not only to remind the world of the many risks that men and women take in order to create a more peaceful world. Components of a commemoration ceremony may include:

• A Guard of Honour;• Depending on the circumstances, a statement by the Secretary-General, Under-Secretary-General

for Peacekeeping Operations, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Force Commander or other senior officials;

• The reading of victims names;• A minute of silence;• A wreath-laying ceremony;• A tribute to the United Nations flag;• Music played or poems read.


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Afterword

Afterword

Etiquette and decorum in the context of multilateral diplomacy for use at the United Nations Office at Geneva

By Ambassador Idriss Jazairy

Opening of the WEF Session on Financing Green Growth25 January 2013

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe


Introduction

The arrangements effective in the field of multilateral diplomacy dealing with diplomatic protocol regulate the official relationships between State representatives accredited to the United Nations, Office in Geneva (UNOG), the specialized institutions, and the multilateral agencies of the United Nations in Switzerland.

These arrangements draw on bilateral protocol pertaining to this specific type of negotiations that is called “diplomacy” since the 18th Century.

Its legal framework comprises, among others, the Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic Relations of 18 April 1961 and on Consular Relations of 24 April 1963 as well as the Headquarters Agreements signed by the host country with the United Nations on 1st July 1946 and with the World Trade Organization on 31st May 1995.

Nevertheless, there is no set code on etiquette, which refers to a cluster of mostly unwritten practices that are intended to foster a conducive environment for multilateral diplomacy exercises. Etiquette encompasses special care and symbols of consideration in relations between officials that are likely to promote dialogue, harmony and trust. These practices are hardly ever invoked explicitly, hence the relevance of the present chapter.

What we call “etiquette”, “decorum” or “savoir-vivre” varies over time as well as when one crosses national borders. As regards greetings for instance, the handshake was hardly ever used in the United Kingdom until the second half of the 20th Century. In France, the baise-main is still in use but is becoming old-fashioned. Be that as it may, one should be aware that in this case, the man’s mouth never touches the hand of the woman when greeting, that this gesture of respect is limited to married women and that it is never practised in open spaces.

Likewise, in some countries of the Middle East today, a mere handshake in the same situation is precluded. In the highlands of Western Algeria where I hail from, a belch at the end of a meal is a tribute paid to the quality of the meal, a habit that would clash with the Geneva decorum.

We also regard it as customary for the host at a stag meal to remain standing to take care of his guests invited to a seated meal, while in the multilateral context of the United Nations, it is the host/hostess, when seated, who signals the beginning of the meal by taking hold of his cutlery after having made sure all his/her guests have been served.

These differences, and many others, are but the expression of the diversity of cultures, each of which finds its justification in its specific national context.

One can of course decide to apply such forms of decorum belonging to a specific culture in the context of Geneva.

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The purpose of the present chapter is thus to allow each diplomat to make an informed decision as to whether or not to comply, in whole or in part, with the forms of decorum in use in Geneva to the extent that this may facilitate the achievement of his or her mission. Apart from the previously discussed customs, the information and communications technological revolution introduces encroachments from commercial parlance on diplomatic language as well as a mix of gallicisms and of anglicisms. Thus, when mentioning a delegate in a conference speech one refers to him however much one disagrees with the person as “The distinguished delegate of…(name of country)” in English and as “L’honorable délégué de…(name of country)” in French. More often than not French speakers will use an anglicism by saying “Le distingué représentant de…” while fewer English speakers will use the gallicism of “The honourable delegate of”.

Indeed, diplomatic language has its own linguistic constructs, at times esoteric, that should be adhered to. It is not the only activity that has its own language rules. Thus sailors will refer to a jib or a mainsail sheet. If you talk to them about “ropes”, they’ll know you are new to the sport. Likewise if you talk of the “fur” of a horse rather than to its coat, horse-riders will draw the same conclusion; so also would hunters if you refer to a horn as a “trumpet”.

Likewise in diplomacy, for the host/hostess to say to his/her guests “Enjoy your meal” (in French: “Bon appétit”) is inappropriate, this expression being drawn from commercial language in use in the catering trade. The same would apply to the French expressions “Au plaisir” rather than the correct form of “Au revoir” upon departure or of “Messieurs-dames” rather than the correct form of “Mesdames, messieurs” when addressing a number of people collectively.

The text hereunder will strive to offer à-la-carte, as it were, a non-exhaustive menu of suggestions in the field of diplomatic etiquette, leaving it to each reader to determine, in terms of behaviour as well as of language, the ones that she or he will deem worth keeping in mind.

1 - Business cards

It is recommended to carry engraved rather than printed or coated business cards. The engraving is made on a single copper plate that then allows for multiple issues of engraved cards when needed.

It is preferable to write on the business card the first name and surname of the holder in square font with, underneath, his/her function in calligraphic font. Some protocol manuals indicate the possibility of mentioning, before the name “Mr.”, “Mrs.” or “Mr. and Mrs.”. Some even authorize that an Ambassador call him/herself “His/Her Excellency”.

All these additions should be avoided.


A business card will be folded at the upper left angle to announce the visit to an absent person, to send a gift, to bid farewell (with the handwritten mention “ppc”), to get acquainted (with the handwritten mention “pfc”) or to extend greetings for the National Day (with the handwritten script of “pfn”). A second business card carrying more detailed personal data can be used as a working instrument to exchange with interlocutors with whom one maintains relations on a continuous basis.

Whichever data the business card shows, it should never be signed.

2 - Invitation cards

For National Day events, the card may be worded as follows:

“The Ambassador, Permanent Representative of … (Country) (followed, if applicable by) and Mrs./Mr. (first name and surname of the spouse) have the honour…”

This invitation announcing the occasion of the reception does not have to bear the name of each guest. In this case, the formula “has/have the honour to invite you”, will be used to avoid tedious secretarial work.

However, an invitation to a more restricted reception or to a dinner will have to mention the name of the person or couple invited on the dotted lines provided for that purpose.

The card will bear, at the lower right angle, the mention RSVP. It is polite to reply promptly to such invitations in order to allow time for the host, if need be, to bring the relevant modifications to his/her seating arrangement in due time.

The card will indicate the dress wear: evening dress, dark suit, informal, casual.

General practice in Geneva varies between dark suit and informal (which contrary to “casual” requires wearing a tie).

3 - Courtesy calls

These visits are paid after presentation of credentials and start with the dean of the Permanent Representatives, followed by the chairpersons of the regional groups to which the new Permanent Representative belongs. In Geneva, the work pressure limits the number of courtesy calls paid by a new Permanent Representative after he/she takes up duty.

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4 - Correspondence

All diplomats are familiar with “notes verbales” . When writing such notes, one should avoid switching from the third person singular to the first or second person plural. It is also advisable, in order to clarify the text written in the third person, to use a capital letter when the other party is referred to, e.g.: “The Mission of … (country of the author of the “note verbale”) requests the Mission of…(addressee) to let it know if It would consider favourably, etc…”.

In a private correspondence in English between Permanent Representatives, one could write: “Dear Colleague”, “Excellency”, or if the exchange takes place between officials who are not Heads of mission, “Dear Mr/ Mrs. …” followed by the family name of the recipient. (In the latter case, the family name would never be mentioned in a letter written in French).

In an official letter, one may write “Excellency”, “Mr/Madam Ambassador/Permanent Representative” (in French, “Excellence” ou “Monsieur/Madame l’Ambassadeur/le Représentant permanent”).

It has to be remembered that, in the context of the United Nations, States are represented by Permanent Representatives. In this context, the title of Ambassador is a national rank, and not a function in relation to the organization to which he/she is accredited.

Consequently, the spouse of a Permanent Representative, if a lady, is not “an Ambassadrice” (in French) but the “spouse of the Permanent Representative”.

The wording on a letter to a Permanent Representative should be as follows:

“His/Her Excellency X…Y … (first name and surname)Ambassador, Permanent Representative of … (country)”

The following wording that is frequently misused should be avoided: “ His/Her Excellency Ambassador, Permanent Representative of (country) Mr/Madam … (first name and surname”, or “His/Her Excellency Mr/Mrs X …Y… Ambassador, Permanent Representative of… (country)”.

In other words, when addressing a letter to a President, a Minister or a Permanent Representative, the “Excellency” has to be followed immediately in English by the person’s first name and surname and neither by a “Mr/Mrs X…Y…” nor by a function. One should say “The President, His/Her Excellency (first name and surname)” and not “His/Her Excellency the President”. The same applies to Ministers and Ambassadors. The same rule applies in French except that in this case the “His Excellency” is followed first by “Mr/Mrs” before the first name and surname of the person concerned.


Monarchical institutions have distinct rules for dignitaries from capitals. So also in the United States, the dignitaries’ names may be preceded by “The Honorable….”. In France, the title “His/Her Excellency” is seldom used for French dignitaries. Be that as it may, the abovementioned remarks remain fully valid for Permanent Representatives.

Each time an interlocutor is addressed in a correspondence, the title appears in full when he/she holds the rank of Ambassador/Permanent Representative: “His/Her Excellency (first name, surname) …” followed by the function. In all other cases, the abbreviated formula “H.E.” can be used. The title of “Madam”, preceding the function of a female dignitary when the person is directly spoken to, in a letter or orally, will not be abbreviated.

The female holders of functions such as Chief of mission or agency will respectively be “Madam Permanent Representative of” or “Madam High Commissioner”.

5 - Organization of, or participation in a meal

a) Seating arrangement and menu

The seating arrangement can be displayed on a leather platter which is in the shape of the table and which has name tags bearing the name of each guest. Should this table plan not be available, the seating arrangement can be drawn on a sheet of drawing paper. It can then be nailed to a board of plywood and placed on an easel at the entrance of the dining room. The names corresponding to the seating arrangement will be written on cards folded in half and displayed on the right side of each place. On these cards, the use of abbreviations is allowed.

The names of the host/hostess and his/her spouse will be mentioned by the formula “Host” or “Hostess”.

A menu will be placed on the right side of each plate or on a holder. In the latter case, there can be one menu for two guests.

b) Nature of meals

One can organize a working meal or a social meal. A social meal can take place with or without spouses; whereas a working meal will always be without a spouse.

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Common remarks:• There are two traditions regarding toasts (remarks of the host/hostess followed by the raising of

glasses filled with water or another beverage, alcoholic or not): the Nordic tradition whereby the toast takes place at the beginning of the meal or the classic tradition whereby the toast comes after the dessert.

• The male guests wait for the hostess and/or the ladies present to be seated before taking their seats.

Working meal

The “Nordic” formula is preferable: the host/hostess announces the purpose of the meal. He/she mentions he/she will ask each guest to give his/her opinion on a specific question by posing the problématique and without prejudging what the solutions should be. The host/hostess will then raise his/her glass to the participants. When all guests have received the first dish, the host/hostess will seize their own cutlery, cast a circular gaze on the guests to give the signal, with a smile, of the beginning of the meal. The guests shall not start eating before the host/hostess, not even the bread that was given to them. The host will avoid using the commercial expression “Bon appétit”.

Between Arab speaking persons in Geneva, however, it is a habit for the host/hostess to give the signal of the beginning of a meal by using the expression “Bismillah”. The host/hostess, after having invited each guest to speak on the theme outlined, will decide whether it is necessary to organise a discussion and will conclude after dessert is served.

Social meal

Whether the “Nordic” or “classic” formula is applied, it will allow for the host/hostess to state the occasion for which the meal (usually a dinner) is held. If there is an important guest, the host/hostess will praise his/her presence then individually or collectively mention the other guests. In this case, the important guest or the dean responds directly to the host/hostess. The rest of the scenario developed above also applies in this case. However, in the case of a social meal, it is polite to send, before the reception starts, flowers with a business card instead of arriving at the reception with a bouquet.

Welcome or farewell meals

A scenario similar to that of the working meal applies. The arriving or departing official is praised by the host/hostess and he/she announces that he/she will give the floor to all other guests and that the guest of honour will reply after the round is complete. At the end of the meal, in regard to the farewell reception, a gift is given in the name of a regional group to the departing diplomat. In this case, the latter will ask the host, out of pure form, if he/she can open the present and, upon the latter’s approval, will exhibit it to all guests (souvenir picture).


c) Table manners

A meal is an occasion to share ideas, not just dishes. The host/hostess will make sure all guests can take the floor and will strive to detect where a consensus can be built, even more so in the case of a working meal.

The guests’ place their hands, not their forearms on the table. They sit in an upright position with their shoulders kept back.

As it is not courteous to speak with one’s mouth full, the bites will be smaller than usual to allow for a guest to swallow quickly before reacting to an idea.

During the meal, elbows remain in contact with the sides of the body, moving laterally along the ribs without losing contact. The fork is held in the left hand. The knife in the right hand will push the content of a small bite on the convex part of the fork. The knife will remain in contact with the plate and will be placed on the plate once the charge is put on the fork. At this stage, the right hand is free and the left forearm lifts the bite on the fork towards the mouth without balancing of the body that remains straight. When the mouth closes on the bite, the fork is placed on the plate. At that stage the two hands are free until the guest is ready for the next bite. In the meantime, fork and knife draw an angle on the plate. The cutlery handles remain squarely in the plate and do not touch the table. If the dish served is soup, the content is absorbed by the lateral part of the spoon while avoiding a sucking sound.

When the plate is finished, fork and knife are placed parallel to each other on the right side of the plate, which gives the signal that the plate can be taken away.

Bread is only eaten with soup or cheese. The piece of bread is held on the right by the major of the right hand and a small parcel is detached with the index and thumb of the same hand. Only the right hand is used. Bread is not bitten into. The piece of bread is then chewed without having anything else in one’s mouth, certainly not liquid. At the end of the meal, the napkin is placed unfolded on the table.

6 - Receptions

Receptions are organised, among other events, on the occasion of National Days. At the beginning of the reception, the Permanent Representative, his/her spouse, their close collaborators and their spouses, are aligned at the entrance. The mission that organizes the event can have a photographer at the entrance. The pictures of the guests greeting the Permanent Representative can then be sent by the latter with a business card to selected visitors. After three quarters of an hour, the Permanent Representative and his/her spouse join the guests and are replaced by the first Deputy Chief of mission.

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There are no greetings at the departure of the guests. Some missions organize statements of the Head of mission on this occasion. The acoustics have to be carefully tested in order to ensure that the sound can be heard despite the prevailing level of background noise. The speech will have to be short and, if possible, include as appropriate some humour.

7 - Introductions

One introduces persons of lower to higher protocol rank, and not the opposite. The first words exchanged in English are “How do you do?”, the person answering repeating the same. It would be entirely inappropriate in English to translate from the formula which is acceptable in French and say: “Delighted/glad to meet you” or to reply to “How do you do?” by saying: “Very well, thank you”.

To introduce oneself, one will call oneself “Mr./Mrs. or Miss/Ms. X” only when talking to a subordinate, a delivery agent for instance. In other cases, one always gives his/her first name and surname followed by his/her function, if applicable, or by his/her status of spouse of the Permanent Representative of … (country) or of another diplomat.

8 - Courtesy

Courtesies owed to a lady can be challenged by feminist approaches that are opposed to all forms of distinctions in treatment between men and women even if they are meant to benefit the latter (in the name of “tokenism”). The habit of letting a woman walk in front of a man when passing through a door or for a man to walk in front of a woman in a staircase still continues to be considered as elements of “savoir-vivre”. In the same spirit, the driver of a car, whether a chauffeur or a male diplomat (without a chauffeur), will take care of closing the door of a female passenger after she is seated in the vehicle.

Idriss Jazairy


AcronymsList of Acronyms, in order of appearance

United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)Multilateral Diplomacy Programme (MDP)

Chapter 1

Non-governmental organization (NGO)International Telegraph Union (ITU) International Labour Organization (ILO)United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG)

Chapter 3

International Law Commission (ILC)

Chapter 4

United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)United Nations Security Council (UNSC)United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)International Court of Justice (ICJ)Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ)

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) International Trade Centre (ITC)United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)World Food Programme (WFP) United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) United Nations Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT)United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR)

United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI)United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD)United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC)United Nations University (UNU)UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB)

75

Acronyms

Food an Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO)International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)International Labour organization (ILO)International Monetary Fund (IMF)International Maritime Organization (IMO)International Telecommunication Union (ITU)UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)Universal Postal Union (UPU)World Health Organization (WHO)World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)World Bank Group (WBG)World Meteorological Organization (WMO)World Tourism Organization (WTO)

Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization Preparatory Commission (CTBTO PrepCom)International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)World Trade Organization (WTO)

Chapter 5

United Nations Headquarters (UNHQ)“Offices away from Headquarters” (OAHs)The United Nations Office in Geneva (UNOG)The United Nations Office in Vienna (UNOV)The United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON)Director-General (DG)

Chapter 7

Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS ((UNAIDS)United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)International Computing Centre (ICC) Internationl Trade Centre (ITC)Office of the High-Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

Chapter 8

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA)European Free Trade Association (EFTA)Geneva International Airport (AIG)


ReferencesMost of the information referred to in these guidelines are available on the internet.

The website of the United Nations: www.un.org/en provides information on the structure of the United Nations structure and of the funds and programmes, agencies and research institutes.

The website of the United Nations Protocol and Liaison Service at Headquarters: www.un.int/protocol/The website is continuously updated and contains the following information:• The Manual of Protocol• The Blue Book for the New York diplomatic community• The list of Heads of State, Heads of Government and Ministers for Foreign Affairs• The list of senior officials of the United Nations.

The web site of the UNOG Protocol and Liaison Service: www.unog.ch contains a range of information of use to the diplomatic community including: • The Blue Book available for purchase• Diplomatic guidelines• Accreditation• UNOG guidelines on diplomatic courtesy in Geneva.

Other UN documents available on the Internet:• Charter of the United Nations, http://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/• Precedence of representatives to the United Nations: note by the Secretary-General. A/CN.4 L.129,

3 July 1968, http://legal.un.org/ilc/documentation/english/a_cn4_l129.pdf • The United Nations Flag Code and Regulations, UN ST/SGB/132, 11 November 1952, http://www.

un.org/depts/dhl/maplib/docs/stsgb132.pdf.

The website of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) of the Swiss confederation:https://www.dfae.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html provides information for the diplomatic community including information on privileges and immunities, household employees, etc.

The website https://www.dfae.admin.ch/eda/en/fdfa/foreign-policy/international-organizations/un/ch-missions-un/mission-geneva.html provides information on the Swiss Permanent Representations in Geneva.

The website of the Republic and Canton of Geneva: http://www.ge.ch/protocole/ provides information on the activities and practices of protocol in Geneva.

Annexes

1. Règlement concernant le protocole - République et Canton de Genève19

2. Guidelines on diplomatic courtesy in Geneva - UNOG

3. Protocol regulations for the Swiss Confederation20

19 The strength and validity of the Geneva legislation exclusively derives from its publication in the official Letter bills of the Republic and Canton of Geneva.20 UNITAR expresses its gratitude to the Protocol Service of the Republic and Canton of Geneva, to the Protocol Service of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation, and to the Protocol and Liaison Service of the United Nations Office at Geneva for allowing the Multilateral diplomacy programme to reproduce the following texts in this brochure.

77

1

Uno

ffici

al a

nd A

ppro

xim

ate

Tran

slat

ion

from

Fre

nch

(orig

inal

ver

sion

in F

renc

h av

aila

ble

onlin

e at

: ht

tp://

ww

w.g

enev

e.ch

/legi

slat

ion/

rsg/

f/s/rs

g_b1

_25p

04.h

tml )

8 D

ecem

ber,

1970

(Ent

ry in

to fo

rce:

1 J

anua

ry 1

971)

__

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

__

The

CO

UN

CIL

OF

STA

TE o

f the

Rep

ublic

and

Can

ton

of G

enev

a,

havi

ng re

gard

to A

rticl

es 1

01, 1

22, p

arag

raph

2, a

nd 1

28, p

arag

raph

1, o

f the

Con

stitu

tion

of th

e R

epub

lic a

nd C

anto

n of

Gen

eva,

24

May

184

7

here

by:

Cha

pter

I Pr

eced

ence

Art.

1 O

ffici

al E

vent

s

1 Th

e or

der o

f pre

cede

nce

to b

e ob

serv

ed a

t eve

nts

and

offic

ial f

unct

ions

out

lined

in th

e ta

bles

an

nexe

d to

this

Reg

ulat

ion.

Th

e pr

eced

ence

bet

wee

n tw

o S

tate

Cou

ncill

ors

shal

l, fir

st, b

y th

e fu

nctio

n (P

resi

dent

, Vic

e-P

resi

dent

), th

en th

e or

igin

al d

ate

of e

lect

ion

and,

alte

rnat

ivel

y, w

ith a

ge.

3 Fo

r the

Gra

nd C

ounc

il, th

e or

der o

f pre

cede

nce

is:

a) th

e P

resi

dent

; b)

the

offic

e;

c) fo

rmer

pre

side

nts

they

are

mem

bers

or n

ot s

uppo

rted;

d)

gro

ups

in o

rder

of t

heir

impo

rtanc

e an

d, if

thei

r im

porta

nce

is e

qual

, in

alph

abet

ical

ord

er.

4 Th

e m

unic

ipal

aut

horit

ies

shal

l tak

e pr

eced

ence

in th

e fo

llow

ing

orde

r:

a) C

ity o

f Gen

eva;

b)

mun

icip

aliti

es h

avin

g a

boar

d of

dire

ctor

s, in

alp

habe

tical

ord

er;

c) n

o jo

int a

dmin

istra

tive

boar

d, in

alp

habe

tical

ord

er.

5 Fo

r offi

cial

s, p

rece

denc

e is

det

erm

ined

by

clas

s tre

atm

ent a

nd, a

ltern

ativ

ely,

by

the

date

of

appo

intm

ent.

6

If se

vera

l peo

ple

have

the

sam

e ra

nk, p

rece

denc

e is

det

erm

ined

, gen

eral

ly b

y se

nior

ity in

the

publ

ic a

nd, a

ltern

ativ

ely,

by

age.

Cha

pter

II R

ecep

tions

, cer

emon

ies,

eve

nts

Sec

tion

1 O

ath

Art.

2 S

wea

ring

Th

e ce

rem

ony

of s

wea

ring

in o

f the

Cou

ncil

of S

tate

is o

rgan

ized

by

the

Sta

te C

hanc

elle

ry, i

n ag

reem

ent w

ith th

e of

fice

of th

e G

rand

Cou

ncil,

as

the

tradi

tiona

l pro

toco

l.

Sec

tion

2 O

ffici

al fu

nctio

ns (7

)

78

Art.

3 (7

) Inv

itatio

ns

For

m

1 Th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil

may

invi

te o

ne o

r joi

ntly

with

the

Fede

ral C

ounc

il or

the

Adm

inis

trativ

e C

ounc

il of

the

City

of G

enev

a.

2 In

prin

cipl

e, th

e C

ounc

il of

Sta

te o

ffers

no

rece

ptio

ns S

unda

y.

Par

ty re

pres

enta

tion

3

For p

urpo

ses

of re

pres

enta

tion,

the

Sta

te C

ounc

il, o

ne o

f its

mem

bers

or t

he c

hanc

ello

r of

Sta

te in

vite

VIP

s fro

m th

e di

plom

atic

, pol

itica

l or e

cono

mic

. Th

ese

four

rece

ptio

ns in

vita

tions

can

occ

ur in

bot

h pl

aces

gen

eral

ly v

est c

erem

onia

l rec

eptio

ns

in fa

cilit

ies

for t

hese

pur

pose

s or

oth

er p

rivat

e pr

emis

es.

Art.

4 V

isit

a C

onfe

dera

te g

over

nmen

t D

urin

g a

visi

t to

a C

onfe

dera

te g

over

nmen

t, a

rece

ptio

n, h

oste

d by

the

Sta

te C

ounc

il, h

eld

at th

e To

wn

Hal

l. (1

) 2

The

flags

of S

witz

erla

nd, G

enev

a an

d th

e ca

nton

con

cern

ed a

re fl

own

at th

e en

tranc

e of

City

H

all.

Art.

5 V

isit

of a

mba

ssad

ors

accr

edite

d to

Ber

n

Whe

n an

am

bass

ador

acc

redi

ted

to B

ern

expr

esse

s th

e de

sire

to m

ake

a vi

sit t

o G

enev

a go

vern

men

t, he

was

rece

ived

into

the

hall

of th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil,

the

Tow

n H

all.

2

The

flags

of S

witz

erla

nd, G

enev

a an

d th

e co

untry

are

flow

n at

the

entra

nce

of C

ity H

all.

3

The

rece

ptio

n is

follo

wed

by

lunc

h.

Art.

Vis

it si

x pe

rman

ent d

eleg

ates

Th

e H

eads

of P

erm

anen

t Mis

sion

s w

ho w

ish

to m

ake

a co

urte

sy c

all t

o th

e go

vern

men

t are

re

ceiv

ed b

y th

e P

resi

dent

of t

he S

tate

Cou

ncil,

or i

n hi

s ab

senc

e th

e V

ice-

Pre

side

nt w

ith th

e C

hief

of P

roto

col.

May

or o

f Gen

eva

is in

vite

d to

atte

nd th

is v

isit.

Art.

7 F

eder

al M

agis

trate

s

The

Sta

te C

ounc

il is

org

aniz

ing

a ce

rem

ony

appr

opria

tely

dur

ing:

a)

the

elec

tion

of a

Fed

eral

Cou

ncil

in G

enev

a, th

e Fe

dera

l Cou

rt, th

e Fe

dera

l Ins

uran

ce C

ourt;

b)

the

elec

tion

of s

omeo

ne fr

om G

enev

a to

the

pres

iden

cy o

f the

Con

fede

ratio

n, th

e N

atio

nal

Cou

ncil,

the

Cou

ncil

of S

tate

s, th

e Fe

dera

l Cou

rt, th

e Fe

dera

l Ins

uran

ce C

ourt,

the

Mili

tary

Cou

rt of

Cas

satio

n. (2

)

Art.

8 (2

) Gen

eral

Offi

cers

and

sen

ior

The

Cou

ncil

of S

tate

cal

ls in

the

rule

, eve

ry 2

yea

rs o

ld a

nd th

e ne

w g

ener

al a

nd s

enio

r offi

cers

w

ho h

old

or h

ave

held

a c

omm

and

or fu

nctio

n re

leva

nt to

the

Can

ton

of G

enev

a.

Art.

9 H

ome

for g

uest

s

1 A

t a re

cept

ion

held

in c

omm

on o

r not

the

Fede

ral G

over

nmen

t or t

he A

dmin

istra

tive

Cou

ncil

of

the

City

of G

enev

a, g

uest

s ar

e w

elco

med

by

a re

pres

enta

tive

of e

ach

auth

ority

invi

ting.

2

Rep

rese

ntat

ives

of o

ther

aut

horit

ies

pres

ent a

t the

rece

ptio

n ar

e co

nsid

ered

gue

sts.

3

The

Sta

te C

ounc

il m

ay b

e re

pres

ente

d by

one

of i

ts m

embe

rs, t

he c

hanc

ello

r of s

tate

, the

C

hief

of P

roto

col o

r by

any

offic

er o

f the

Gra

nd C

ounc

il.

4 A

bai

liff a

t lea

st is

alw

ays

pres

ent.

Div

isio

n 3

Rep

rese

ntat

ion

of th

e C

ounc

il of

Sta

te c

erem

onie

s an

d ot

her e

vent

s

Art.

10

Gen

eral

prin

cipl

es

Whe

n on

e ac

cept

s th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil

to b

e re

pres

ente

d at

an

even

t, it

may

be

one

or m

ore

of it

s

mem

bers

, nor

mal

ly n

o m

ore

than

3, t

he c

hanc

ello

r of s

tate

or c

hief

of p

roto

col,

or b

y a

boar

d m

embe

r of t

he G

rand

Cou

ncil.

In

Rul

e 2,

whe

n th

e ev

ent i

nclu

des

a pa

rade

or a

spe

ech

by th

e re

pres

enta

tive

of th

e S

tate

C

ounc

il, it

is a

ccom

pani

ed b

y a

baili

ff.

3 U

nles

s ex

cept

iona

l circ

umst

ance

s, th

e C

ounc

il of

Sta

te is

not

repr

esen

ted

at th

e ce

rem

onie

s or

eve

nts

taki

ng p

lace

on

Sun

day.

Art.

11

Pat

riotic

1

The

Cou

ncil

of S

tate

par

ticip

ated

in th

e ce

rem

onie

s of

1 J

une,

1 A

ugus

t, in

mem

ory

of G

enev

a so

ldie

rs d

ied

serv

ing

thei

r cou

ntry

, the

Esc

alad

e an

d th

e R

esto

ratio

n. T

he c

onst

ituen

t bod

ies

are

repr

esen

ted.

2

In th

e ru

le, t

he p

resi

dent

of t

he S

tate

Cou

ncil

deliv

ered

the

spee

ch fo

r the

occ

asio

n on

Jun

e 1

at P

ort-B

lack

.

Art.

12 P

rivat

e C

orpo

rate

Eve

nts

A

s a

rule

, exc

ept f

or th

e ce

lebr

atio

ns o

f im

porta

nt a

nniv

ersa

ries,

as

25th

, 50t

h, 7

5th,

or 1

00th

an

nive

rsar

y, th

e C

ounc

il of

Sta

te is

not

repr

esen

ted

in th

e ev

ents

of a

com

mer

cial

priv

ate.

2

If a

depa

rtmen

t hea

d is

invo

lved

as

a pr

ivat

e, a

noth

er m

anife

stat

ion

of th

e sa

me

kind

, in

prin

cipl

e, it

doe

s no

t spe

ak.

Cha

pter

III O

rder

of s

peec

hes

Art.

13

Ord

er o

f spe

eche

s

1 A

s a

rule

, he

who

has

the

high

est r

ank

gave

his

last

spe

ech.

2

How

ever

, whe

n a

fede

ral a

dvis

er g

ave

a sp

eech

at a

n ev

ent o

r rec

eptio

n, h

er s

peec

h is

giv

en,

in p

rinci

ple,

in th

e fir

st p

lace

. The

spe

aker

s w

ho fo

llow

ed h

im s

peak

in th

e or

der s

peci

fied

in

para

grap

h 1.

Cha

pter

IV P

atch

es a

nd F

lags

Art.

14 n

atio

nal f

lags

1

Sw

iss

and

Gen

evan

flag

s ar

e ho

iste

d on

the

City

Hal

l, th

e C

ourth

ouse

, the

Cat

hedr

al o

f St.

Pet

er a

nd th

e m

ain

adm

inis

trativ

e bu

ildin

gs:

a) 5

May

(Eur

ope

Day

);

b) 1

Jun

e;

c) 1

Aug

ust;

d)

11

and

12 D

ecem

ber;

e)

30

and

Dec

embe

r 31.

(1)

2 Th

ey a

re h

alf-m

aste

d on

the

day

of th

e fu

nera

l: (1

) a)

the

build

ings

men

tione

d in

par

agra

ph 1

at t

he d

eath

of a

n ad

vise

r to

a fe

dera

l, st

ate

coun

cilo

r, pr

esid

ent o

f the

Gra

nd C

ounc

il, th

e A

ttorn

ey G

ener

al;

b) a

t the

Hot

el d

e V

ille,

on

the

deat

h of

the

head

of a

Sta

te w

hich

mai

ntai

ns a

con

sula

r offi

ce

base

d in

Gen

eva,

a N

atio

nal C

ounc

illor

of G

enev

a, G

enev

a m

embe

r of t

he C

ounc

il of

Sta

tes,

a

fede

ral j

udge

in G

enev

a , C

hanc

ello

r of S

tate

, a m

embe

r or a

may

or, h

e is

als

o a

form

er F

eder

al

Cou

ncill

or o

f Gen

eva,

a fo

rmer

Sta

te C

ounc

illor

and

a fo

rmer

pre

side

nt o

f the

Gra

nd C

ounc

il;

c) a

t the

cou

rthou

se, o

n th

e de

ath

of a

mag

istra

te o

f the

judi

ciar

y, a

form

er F

eder

al C

ourt

judg

e

79

in G

enev

a or

the

Fede

ral I

nsur

ance

Cou

rt, fo

rmer

Atto

rney

Gen

eral

, a fo

rmer

pre

side

nt o

f a

cour

t.

Art.

Pat

ches

and

15

fore

ign

pavi

lions

1

The

natio

nal f

lag

of th

e se

ndin

g S

tate

may

be

flow

n an

d its

coa

t of a

rms

of th

is s

tate

pla

ced

on

build

ings

occ

upie

d re

side

nces

of h

eads

of c

onsu

lar p

osts

and

dip

lom

atic

mis

sion

s, a

s w

ell a

s th

eir m

eans

of t

rans

port.

( 1)

2

How

ever

, acc

ordi

ng to

the

prac

tice

from

Gen

eva,

the

fore

ign

flag

is fl

own

daily

from

the

Nat

iona

l Day

of t

he s

endi

ng S

tate

and

the

Sw

iss

and

Gen

eva

parti

es m

entio

ned

in A

rticl

e 14

, pa

ragr

aph

1.

Cha

pter

V F

uner

als

Art.

16

Gen

eral

1

The

offic

ial f

uner

al is

hel

d by

the

Sta

te C

hanc

elle

ry, i

n ag

reem

ent w

ith th

e fa

mily

of t

he

dece

ased

whe

n th

e la

tter i

s a

stat

e co

unci

lor,

pres

iden

t of t

he G

rand

Cou

ncil,

Atto

rney

Gen

eral

or

Cha

ncel

lor o

f Sta

te (1

).

2 Th

e pr

otoc

ol le

nds

its a

ssis

tanc

e to

the

fam

ily o

f the

dec

ease

d fo

r the

fune

ral o

f the

ord

er in

w

hich

gov

ernm

ent f

igur

es a

re re

pres

ente

d.

The

thre

e w

ishe

s of

the

dece

ased

or h

is fa

mily

are

cru

cial

. 4

Whe

n th

e C

ounc

il of

Sta

te w

as re

pres

ente

d at

the

fune

ral,

he is

alw

ays

acco

mpa

nied

by

a ba

iliff

and

a cr

own

is s

ent.

In a

ll ca

ses,

a le

tter o

f con

dole

nce

be s

ent t

o th

e fa

mily

of t

he

dece

ased

and

his

imm

edia

te s

uper

ior.

Art.

17

Fede

ral a

utho

ritie

s

1 If

the

dece

ased

is fr

om G

enev

a, th

e C

ounc

il of

Sta

te, i

n co

rpor

e, a

ttend

s th

e fu

nera

l.

Fed

eral

Cou

ncill

or

2 If

the

dece

ased

is C

onfe

dera

te, a

del

egat

ion

of th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil

atte

nded

the

fune

ral.

F

orm

er F

eder

al C

ounc

illor

3 If

the

dece

ased

is G

enev

a, a

del

egat

ion

of th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil

atte

nded

the

fune

ral.

C

hanc

ello

r and

Vic

e-C

hanc

ello

rs o

f the

Con

fede

ratio

n

4 Th

e C

hanc

ello

r atte

nds

stat

e fu

nera

l.

Nat

iona

l Cou

ncill

or, M

embe

r of t

he C

ounc

il of

Sta

tes,

a fe

dera

l jud

ge

5 If

the

dece

ased

is G

enev

a, a

del

egat

ion

of th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil

atte

nded

the

fune

ral.

The

cere

mon

y is

set

acc

ordi

ng to

the

secr

etar

iat o

f the

Fed

eral

Ass

embl

y an

d th

e co

urts

. S

enio

r offi

cer

6 If

the

dece

ased

is in

Gen

eva

or h

ad u

nder

his

com

man

d un

its G

enev

a, a

del

egat

ion

of th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil

atte

nded

the

fune

ral.

Art.

18

Gen

eva

auth

oriti

es

Sta

te C

ounc

illor

1

The

Cou

ncil

of S

tate

in c

orpo

re a

ttend

s th

e fu

nera

l. Th

e ce

rem

ony

is s

et a

ccor

ding

to th

e pr

otoc

ol e

stab

lishe

d by

the

Sta

te C

hanc

elle

ry.

Pre

side

nt o

f the

Gra

nd C

ounc

il

2 Th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil

in c

orpo

re a

ttend

the

fune

ral.

The

cere

mon

y is

set

acc

ordi

ng to

the

offic

e of

th

e G

rand

Cou

ncil,

acc

ordi

ng to

the

prot

ocol

est

ablis

hed

by th

e S

tate

Cha

ncel

lery

. A

ttorn

ey G

ener

al

3 Th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil

in c

orpo

re a

ttend

the

fune

ral.

The

cere

mon

y is

set

in a

gree

men

t with

the

Pre

side

nt o

f the

Cou

rt of

Jus

tice,

acc

ordi

ng to

the

prot

ocol

est

ablis

hed

by th

e S

tate

Cha

ncel

lery

.

(1)

Mem

ber o

f the

Gra

nd C

ounc

il

4 A

del

egat

ion

of th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil

atte

nded

the

fune

ral.

The

cere

mon

y is

set

acc

ordi

ng to

the

chai

rman

of t

he G

rand

Cou

ncil.

P

resi

dent

of c

ourt

5

A d

eleg

atio

n of

the

Sta

te C

ounc

il at

tend

ed th

e fu

nera

l. Th

e ce

rem

ony

is s

et a

ccor

ding

to th

e A

ttorn

ey G

ener

al.

For

mer

Sta

te C

ounc

ilor

6 A

del

egat

ion

of th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil

atte

nded

the

fune

ral.

F

orm

er P

resi

dent

of t

he G

rand

Cou

ncil

7

A d

eleg

atio

n of

the

Sta

te C

ounc

il at

tend

ed th

e fu

nera

l. Th

e ev

ent i

s se

t in

cons

ulta

tion

with

the

Cha

irman

of t

he G

rand

Cou

ncil.

F

orm

er A

ttorn

ey G

ener

al

8 A

del

egat

ion

of th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil

atte

nded

the

fune

ral.

The

cere

mon

y is

set

in c

onsu

ltatio

n w

ith th

e A

ttorn

ey G

ener

al.

May

ors

9

A d

eleg

atio

n of

the

Sta

te C

ounc

il at

tend

ed th

e fu

nera

l. Th

e ce

rem

ony

is s

et a

ccor

ding

to S

tate

C

ounc

ilor i

n ch

arge

of t

he D

epar

tmen

t of I

nter

ior a

nd m

obili

ty (1

0).

Sta

te C

hanc

ello

r 10

A d

eleg

atio

n of

the

Sta

te C

ounc

il at

tend

ed th

e fu

nera

l. Th

e ce

rem

ony

is s

et a

ccor

ding

to th

e pr

otoc

ol e

stab

lishe

d by

the

Sta

te C

hanc

elle

ry.

Art.

19 O

ther

aut

horit

ies

S

tate

Cou

ncill

or o

f ano

ther

can

ton

1

If th

e de

ceas

ed is

Rom

and,

or O

berla

nd T

icin

o, a

del

egat

ion

of th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil

atte

nded

the

fune

ral.

B

isho

p of

the

Dio

cese

2

A d

eleg

atio

n of

the

Sta

te C

ounc

il at

tend

ed th

e fu

nera

l.

Dire

ctor

of a

n in

tern

atio

nal o

rgan

izat

ion

3

A d

eleg

atio

n of

the

Sta

te C

ounc

il at

tend

ed th

e fu

nera

l ser

vice

taki

ng p

lace

in G

enev

a at

the

deat

h of

the

Dire

ctor

Gen

eral

of t

he U

nite

d N

atio

ns O

ffice

at G

enev

a an

d C

EO

s of

in

terg

over

nmen

tal o

rgan

izat

ions

bas

ed in

Gen

eva.

P

erm

anen

t Del

egat

e

4 A

del

egat

ion

of th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil

atte

nded

the

fune

ral s

ervi

ce ta

king

pla

ce in

Gen

eva

on th

e de

ath

of a

hea

d of

per

man

ent m

issi

on a

ccre

dite

d to

the

UN

in G

enev

a an

d sp

ecia

lized

age

ncie

s w

ith th

e co

untry

whi

ch th

e C

onfe

dera

tion

has

dipl

omat

ic re

latio

ns. T

he C

hief

of P

roto

col

prov

ides

his

ser

vice

s to

the

post

in m

ourn

ing.

O

ther

per

sona

litie

s

5 O

n th

e de

cisi

on, t

he S

tate

Cou

ncil

may

be

repr

esen

ted.

(1)

Cha

pter

VI C

onsu

lar C

orps

Art.

20 D

efin

ition

C

onsu

lar C

orps

of G

enev

a is

mad

e up

of a

ll co

nsul

s ge

nera

l, co

nsul

s an

d vi

ce c

onsu

ls s

tatio

ned

in th

e to

wns

hip,

whe

ther

or n

ot a

car

eer.

Sec

tion

1 A

rriv

al a

nd d

utie

s of

a h

ead

of c

onsu

lar p

ost

Art.

21 A

rriv

al o

f the

hea

d of

80

in G

enev

a or

the

Fede

ral I

nsur

ance

Cou

rt, fo

rmer

Atto

rney

Gen

eral

, a fo

rmer

pre

side

nt o

f a

cour

t.

Art.

Pat

ches

and

15

fore

ign

pavi

lions

1

The

natio

nal f

lag

of th

e se

ndin

g S

tate

may

be

flow

n an

d its

coa

t of a

rms

of th

is s

tate

pla

ced

on

build

ings

occ

upie

d re

side

nces

of h

eads

of c

onsu

lar p

osts

and

dip

lom

atic

mis

sion

s, a

s w

ell a

s th

eir m

eans

of t

rans

port.

( 1)

2

How

ever

, acc

ordi

ng to

the

prac

tice

from

Gen

eva,

the

fore

ign

flag

is fl

own

daily

from

the

Nat

iona

l Day

of t

he s

endi

ng S

tate

and

the

Sw

iss

and

Gen

eva

parti

es m

entio

ned

in A

rticl

e 14

, pa

ragr

aph

1.

Cha

pter

V F

uner

als

Art.

16

Gen

eral

1

The

offic

ial f

uner

al is

hel

d by

the

Sta

te C

hanc

elle

ry, i

n ag

reem

ent w

ith th

e fa

mily

of t

he

dece

ased

whe

n th

e la

tter i

s a

stat

e co

unci

lor,

pres

iden

t of t

he G

rand

Cou

ncil,

Atto

rney

Gen

eral

or

Cha

ncel

lor o

f Sta

te (1

).

2 Th

e pr

otoc

ol le

nds

its a

ssis

tanc

e to

the

fam

ily o

f the

dec

ease

d fo

r the

fune

ral o

f the

ord

er in

w

hich

gov

ernm

ent f

igur

es a

re re

pres

ente

d.

The

thre

e w

ishe

s of

the

dece

ased

or h

is fa

mily

are

cru

cial

. 4

Whe

n th

e C

ounc

il of

Sta

te w

as re

pres

ente

d at

the

fune

ral,

he is

alw

ays

acco

mpa

nied

by

a ba

iliff

and

a cr

own

is s

ent.

In a

ll ca

ses,

a le

tter o

f con

dole

nce

be s

ent t

o th

e fa

mily

of t

he

dece

ased

and

his

imm

edia

te s

uper

ior.

Art.

17

Fede

ral a

utho

ritie

s

1 If

the

dece

ased

is fr

om G

enev

a, th

e C

ounc

il of

Sta

te, i

n co

rpor

e, a

ttend

s th

e fu

nera

l.

Fed

eral

Cou

ncill

or

2 If

the

dece

ased

is C

onfe

dera

te, a

del

egat

ion

of th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil

atte

nded

the

fune

ral.

F

orm

er F

eder

al C

ounc

illor

3 If

the

dece

ased

is G

enev

a, a

del

egat

ion

of th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil

atte

nded

the

fune

ral.

C

hanc

ello

r and

Vic

e-C

hanc

ello

rs o

f the

Con

fede

ratio

n

4 Th

e C

hanc

ello

r atte

nds

stat

e fu

nera

l.

Nat

iona

l Cou

ncill

or, M

embe

r of t

he C

ounc

il of

Sta

tes,

a fe

dera

l jud

ge

5 If

the

dece

ased

is G

enev

a, a

del

egat

ion

of th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil

atte

nded

the

fune

ral.

The

cere

mon

y is

set

acc

ordi

ng to

the

secr

etar

iat o

f the

Fed

eral

Ass

embl

y an

d th

e co

urts

. S

enio

r offi

cer

6 If

the

dece

ased

is in

Gen

eva

or h

ad u

nder

his

com

man

d un

its G

enev

a, a

del

egat

ion

of th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil

atte

nded

the

fune

ral.

Art.

18

Gen

eva

auth

oriti

es

Sta

te C

ounc

illor

1

The

Cou

ncil

of S

tate

in c

orpo

re a

ttend

s th

e fu

nera

l. Th

e ce

rem

ony

is s

et a

ccor

ding

to th

e pr

otoc

ol e

stab

lishe

d by

the

Sta

te C

hanc

elle

ry.

Pre

side

nt o

f the

Gra

nd C

ounc

il

2 Th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil

in c

orpo

re a

ttend

the

fune

ral.

The

cere

mon

y is

set

acc

ordi

ng to

the

offic

e of

th

e G

rand

Cou

ncil,

acc

ordi

ng to

the

prot

ocol

est

ablis

hed

by th

e S

tate

Cha

ncel

lery

. A

ttorn

ey G

ener

al

3 Th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil

in c

orpo

re a

ttend

the

fune

ral.

The

cere

mon

y is

set

in a

gree

men

t with

the

Pre

side

nt o

f the

Cou

rt of

Jus

tice,

acc

ordi

ng to

the

prot

ocol

est

ablis

hed

by th

e S

tate

Cha

ncel

lery

.

(1)

Mem

ber o

f the

Gra

nd C

ounc

il

4 A

del

egat

ion

of th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil

atte

nded

the

fune

ral.

The

cere

mon

y is

set

acc

ordi

ng to

the

chai

rman

of t

he G

rand

Cou

ncil.

P

resi

dent

of c

ourt

5

A d

eleg

atio

n of

the

Sta

te C

ounc

il at

tend

ed th

e fu

nera

l. Th

e ce

rem

ony

is s

et a

ccor

ding

to th

e A

ttorn

ey G

ener

al.

For

mer

Sta

te C

ounc

ilor

6 A

del

egat

ion

of th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil

atte

nded

the

fune

ral.

F

orm

er P

resi

dent

of t

he G

rand

Cou

ncil

7

A d

eleg

atio

n of

the

Sta

te C

ounc

il at

tend

ed th

e fu

nera

l. Th

e ev

ent i

s se

t in

cons

ulta

tion

with

the

Cha

irman

of t

he G

rand

Cou

ncil.

F

orm

er A

ttorn

ey G

ener

al

8 A

del

egat

ion

of th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil

atte

nded

the

fune

ral.

The

cere

mon

y is

set

in c

onsu

ltatio

n w

ith th

e A

ttorn

ey G

ener

al.

May

ors

9

A d

eleg

atio

n of

the

Sta

te C

ounc

il at

tend

ed th

e fu

nera

l. Th

e ce

rem

ony

is s

et a

ccor

ding

to S

tate

C

ounc

ilor i

n ch

arge

of t

he D

epar

tmen

t of I

nter

ior a

nd m

obili

ty (1

0).

Sta

te C

hanc

ello

r 10

A d

eleg

atio

n of

the

Sta

te C

ounc

il at

tend

ed th

e fu

nera

l. Th

e ce

rem

ony

is s

et a

ccor

ding

to th

e pr

otoc

ol e

stab

lishe

d by

the

Sta

te C

hanc

elle

ry.

Art.

19 O

ther

aut

horit

ies

S

tate

Cou

ncill

or o

f ano

ther

can

ton

1

If th

e de

ceas

ed is

Rom

and,

or O

berla

nd T

icin

o, a

del

egat

ion

of th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil

atte

nded

the

fune

ral.

B

isho

p of

the

Dio

cese

2

A d

eleg

atio

n of

the

Sta

te C

ounc

il at

tend

ed th

e fu

nera

l.

Dire

ctor

of a

n in

tern

atio

nal o

rgan

izat

ion

3

A d

eleg

atio

n of

the

Sta

te C

ounc

il at

tend

ed th

e fu

nera

l ser

vice

taki

ng p

lace

in G

enev

a at

the

deat

h of

the

Dire

ctor

Gen

eral

of t

he U

nite

d N

atio

ns O

ffice

at G

enev

a an

d C

EO

s of

in

terg

over

nmen

tal o

rgan

izat

ions

bas

ed in

Gen

eva.

P

erm

anen

t Del

egat

e

4 A

del

egat

ion

of th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil

atte

nded

the

fune

ral s

ervi

ce ta

king

pla

ce in

Gen

eva

on th

e de

ath

of a

hea

d of

per

man

ent m

issi

on a

ccre

dite

d to

the

UN

in G

enev

a an

d sp

ecia

lized

age

ncie

s w

ith th

e co

untry

whi

ch th

e C

onfe

dera

tion

has

dipl

omat

ic re

latio

ns. T

he C

hief

of P

roto

col

prov

ides

his

ser

vice

s to

the

post

in m

ourn

ing.

O

ther

per

sona

litie

s

5 O

n th

e de

cisi

on, t

he S

tate

Cou

ncil

may

be

repr

esen

ted.

(1)

Cha

pter

VI C

onsu

lar C

orps

Art.

20 D

efin

ition

C

onsu

lar C

orps

of G

enev

a is

mad

e up

of a

ll co

nsul

s ge

nera

l, co

nsul

s an

d vi

ce c

onsu

ls s

tatio

ned

in th

e to

wns

hip,

whe

ther

or n

ot a

car

eer.

Sec

tion

1 A

rriv

al a

nd d

utie

s of

a h

ead

of c

onsu

lar p

ost

Art.

21 A

rriv

al o

f the

hea

d of

1 U

pon

arriv

al in

Gen

eva

or if

it is

allo

wed

to e

xerc

ise

his

func

tions

, the

hea

d of

con

sula

r vis

its to

th

e ch

ief o

f pro

toco

l tha

t set

s ou

t the

cer

emon

ial o

f the

hea

ring

offic

ial d

utie

s. T

he h

ead

of

stat

es, w

here

app

licab

le, t

he n

ames

of e

mpl

oyee

s he

wis

hes

to b

e ac

com

pani

ed a

t the

ce

rem

ony.

2

The

Chi

ef o

f Pro

toco

l sha

ll, a

t the

requ

est o

f the

hea

d of

a c

onsu

lar p

ost,

all t

he n

eces

sary

in

form

atio

n on

pol

itica

l org

aniz

atio

n an

d th

e G

enev

a ca

nton

al a

nd m

unic

ipal

gov

ernm

ents

, it

also

indi

cate

s th

at c

ourte

sy is

cus

tom

ary

do a

fter t

akin

g of

fice.

Art.

22

Exe

quat

ur a

nd h

earin

g du

ties

1

The

Cou

ncil

of S

tate

is in

form

ed o

f the

gra

ntin

g of

fede

ral e

nfor

cem

ent t

o th

e ne

w h

ead

of th

e co

nsul

ar p

ost a

nd fi

xed

the

hear

ing

offic

ial d

utie

s.

2 O

n th

e ap

poin

ted

day,

the

Sta

te C

ounc

il re

ceiv

es fo

rmal

hea

ring

the

new

hea

d of

the

cons

ular

po

st m

ay b

e ac

com

pani

ed b

y co

nsul

ar o

ffice

rs a

ssig

ned

to h

is p

ost.

The

May

or o

f the

City

of

Gen

eva

is in

vite

d to

atte

nd th

e he

arin

g. In

gen

eral

, whe

n re

ceiv

ing

only

of w

elco

me

and

wor

ds

of c

ourte

sy a

re e

xcha

nged

. Dre

ss fo

r the

cer

emon

y is

the

dark

atti

re, u

nifo

rm o

r nat

iona

l dre

ss.

(1)

3 If

the

cons

ular

pos

t hea

ded

by a

n ho

nora

ry c

onsu

lar o

ffice

r, th

e ch

ief p

ost a

nd p

ossi

bly

som

e of

his

ass

ocia

tes

rece

ived

form

al h

earin

g by

the

Cha

irman

of t

he S

tate

Cou

ncil

with

the

Chi

ef o

f P

roto

col.

The

May

or o

f the

City

of G

enev

a is

invi

ted

to a

ttend

the

hear

ing.

(1)

Art.

23 (1

)

Sec

tion

2 P

rece

denc

e

Art.

24

Hea

ds o

f dip

lom

atic

mis

sion

Th

e le

ader

s of

a c

aree

r con

sula

r pos

t sha

ll ra

nk in

eac

h cl

ass

follo

win

g th

e da

te o

f gra

nt o

f en

forc

emen

t.

2 Th

e or

der o

f pre

cede

nce

betw

een

two

or m

ore

head

s of

con

sula

r pos

t of t

he s

ame

rank

, who

ob

tain

ed th

e ex

ecut

ion

on th

e sa

me

date

, is

dete

rmin

ed b

y th

e he

arin

g da

te o

f ent

ry o

n du

ty.

3 If

a fu

ture

hea

d of

the

cons

ular

pos

t may

lead

to th

e po

st o

n an

inte

rim b

asis

prio

r to

obta

inin

g th

e en

forc

emen

t ord

er, i

t is

cons

ider

ed a

s ac

ting

head

.

Art.

25

Hea

ds o

f pos

t fee

s

Hea

ds o

f con

sula

r pos

ts s

hall

rank

fees

in e

ach

clas

s, a

fter t

he h

eads

of c

aree

r con

sula

r pos

t in

orde

r and

acc

ordi

ng to

rule

s es

tabl

ishe

d in

arti

cles

24

and

26.

Art.

26

Inte

rim M

anag

ers

Th

e in

terim

man

ager

s ra

nk a

fter a

ll he

ads

of c

onsu

lar p

osts

. Bet

wee

n th

em, t

hey

rank

acc

ordi

ng

to th

e da

tes

they

took

offi

ce a

s ac

ting.

Art.

27

Con

sula

r Offi

cial

s

Car

eer c

onsu

lar o

ffice

rs a

nd h

onor

ary,

not

hea

ds o

f pos

ts s

hall

rank

in e

ach

clas

s ac

cord

ing

to

the

date

of n

otifi

catio

n of

com

men

cem

ent o

f em

ploy

men

t. P

rece

denc

e is

giv

en to

car

eer c

ivil

serv

ants

.

Sec

tion

3 re

cept

ions

, cer

emon

ies

and

Hea

rings

Art.

28

Offi

cial

Cer

emon

ies

Th

e C

onsu

lar C

orps

in p

rinci

ple

take

par

t in

offic

ial c

erem

onie

s. T

he C

hief

of P

roto

col s

hall

send

th

e in

vita

tions

and

giv

e hi

m th

e ne

cess

ary

info

rmat

ion.

Art.

29

Aud

ienc

es M

isce

llane

ous

Th

e C

hief

of P

roto

col i

s av

aila

ble

to h

eads

of c

onsu

lar p

osts

to fi

x th

e da

te a

nd ti

me

of th

e he

arin

gs th

ey w

ant t

o ge

t Pre

side

nt's

Cou

ncil

of S

tate

, a d

epar

tmen

t hea

d or

any

oth

er

appo

intm

ent t

hat '

you

may

des

ire.

Sec

tion

4 Te

mpo

rary

abs

ence

s an

d re

min

ders

hea

ds p

ost

Art.

30

Inte

rim M

anag

ers

Th

e he

ad o

f the

con

sula

r lea

ving

tem

pora

rily

or p

erm

anen

tly, t

he c

onsu

lar d

istri

ct s

hall

info

rm

the

Chi

ef o

f Pro

toco

l and

sha

ll in

dica

te th

e na

me

of th

e pe

rson

to te

mpo

raril

y m

anag

e th

e co

nsul

ar p

ost.

Art.

31

Term

inat

ion

of fu

nctio

ns

Upo

n no

tice

of th

e da

te o

f lea

ving

offi

ce, t

he h

ead

of th

e co

nsul

ar p

ost s

hall

notif

y th

e C

hief

of

Pro

toco

l, w

hich

sha

ll in

form

eith

er th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil,

is C

hairm

an o

f the

Sta

te C

ounc

il to

es

tabl

ish

a po

ssib

le fa

rew

ell a

udie

nce.

Art.

32

(1) H

earin

g le

ave

and

inte

rim m

anag

ers

O

n th

e ap

poin

ted

day,

the

Sta

te C

ounc

il or

the

Cha

irman

of t

he S

tate

Cou

ncil

rece

ives

in

audi

ence

of l

eave

, the

hea

d of

con

sula

r pos

t, w

hich

em

ploy

ees

can

join

. The

May

or o

f the

City

of

Gen

eva

is in

vite

d to

atte

nd th

e he

arin

g.

Sec

tion

5 de

aths

Art.

33

Hea

d of

Sta

te o

r for

eign

gov

ernm

ent

Upo

n th

e de

ath

of a

hea

d of

sta

te o

r gov

ernm

ent o

f a s

tate

mai

ntai

ning

a c

onsu

lar p

ost i

n G

enev

a, P

resi

dent

of t

he S

tate

Cou

ncil

or in

his

abs

ence

, a s

tate

cou

ncilo

r, ac

com

pani

ed b

y th

e ch

ief o

f pro

toco

l, w

ent t

o th

e po

st c

onsu

lar r

epor

t to

head

of t

he c

ondo

lenc

es o

f the

Cou

ncil

of

Sta

te a

nd, w

here

app

ropr

iate

, to

sign

the

cond

olen

ce b

ook.

2

The

sam

e pr

otoc

ol is

app

lied

whe

n th

e de

ceas

ed's

cou

ntry

has

dip

lom

atic

rela

tions

with

the

Con

fede

ratio

n, b

ut is

repr

esen

ted

in G

enev

a by

a p

erm

anen

t mis

sion

, not

a c

onsu

late

. 3

If a

fune

ral s

ervi

ce w

as c

eleb

rate

d in

Gen

eva,

the

Sta

te C

ounc

il sh

all b

e re

pres

ente

d.

Art.

34

Hea

d of

con

sula

r pos

t 1

The

Cou

ncil

of S

tate

mus

t be

notif

ied

imm

edia

tely

of t

he d

eath

of a

chi

ef o

f the

con

sula

r pos

t. Th

e C

hief

of P

roto

col p

rovi

des

serv

ices

to th

e po

st in

mou

rnin

g.

2 If

a fu

nera

l ser

vice

was

cel

ebra

ted

in G

enev

a, th

e S

tate

Cou

ncil

shal

l be

repr

esen

ted.

Art.

35

Con

sula

r offi

cer

Upo

n th

e de

ath

of a

con

sula

r offi

cer,

not c

hief

pos

t, co

ndol

ence

s w

ere

expr

esse

d by

a le

tter

from

the

Chi

ef o

f Pro

toco

l to

the

head

of c

onsu

lar p

ost.

2

If a

fune

ral s

ervi

ce w

as c

eleb

rate

d in

Gen

eva,

the

Sta

te C

ounc

il sh

all b

e re

pres

ente

d by

the

Chi

ef o

f Pro

toco

l.

Cha

pter

VII

Fina

l and

Tra

nsiti

onal

Art.

Rep

ealin

g C

laus

e 36

Th

e re

gula

tions

con

cern

ing

the

Pro

toco

l of 1

2 N

ovem

ber 1

965,

is re

peal

ed.

112

Art.

37 E

ntry

into

forc

e

This

Reg

ulat

ion

com

es in

to fo

rce

on 1

Jan

uary

197

1.

81

Prot

ocol

and

Lia

ison

Ser

vice

U

nite

d N

atio

ns O

ffic

e at

Gen

eva

Febr

uary

200

4

GU

IDE

LIN

ES

O

N D

IPL

OM

AT

IC C

OU

RT

ESY

IN G

EN

EV

A

U

nite

d N

atio

ns

G

UID

EL

INE

S O

N D

IPL

OM

AT

IC C

OU

RT

ESY

IN

GE

NE

VA

Ope

ning

of a

new

per

man

ent m

issi

on

1.

It is

cur

rent

pra

ctic

e fo

r a G

over

nmen

t to

info

rm th

e Se

cret

ary-

Gen

eral

of t

he U

nite

d N

atio

ns, i

n w

ritin

g, th

roug

h th

e in

term

edia

ry o

f its

per

man

ent m

issi

on in

New

Yor

k, o

f its

inte

ntio

n to

est

ablis

h a

perm

anen

t mis

sion

in G

enev

a. T

he S

ecre

tary

-Gen

eral

then

info

rms t

he

Dire

ctor

-Gen

eral

of t

he U

nite

d N

atio

ns O

ffic

e at

Gen

eva.

The

D

irect

or-G

ener

al in

form

s the

Chi

ef o

f Pro

toco

l who

brin

gs th

is to

the

atte

ntio

n of

the

Hea

d of

the

Perm

anen

t mis

sion

of t

he h

ost c

ount

ry.

The

curr

ent p

ract

ice

is th

at a

Gov

ernm

ent i

nfor

ms a

lso

the

Swis

s G

over

nmen

t of i

ts in

tent

ion

to e

stab

lish

a m

issi

on in

Gen

eva.

C

rede

ntia

ls

2.

Cre

dent

ials

of p

erm

anen

t rep

rese

ntat

ives

are

issu

ed e

ither

by

the

head

of S

tate

or G

over

nmen

t, or

by

the

min

iste

r for

fore

ign

affa

irs,

and

they

are

add

ress

ed to

the

Secr

etar

y-G

ener

al o

f the

U

nite

d N

atio

ns a

nd h

ande

d to

the

Dire

ctor

-Gen

eral

of t

he

Uni

ted

Nat

ions

Off

ice

at G

enev

a du

ring

the

pres

enta

tion

of c

rede

ntia

ls

cere

mon

y. T

hrou

gh a

pre

ss re

leas

e is

sued

by

the

Info

rmat

ion

Serv

ice,

th

e U

nite

d N

atio

ns O

ffic

e at

Gen

eva

then

not

ifies

the

dire

ctor

s and

/or

secr

etar

ies-

gene

ral o

f the

spec

ializ

ed a

genc

ies c

once

rned

.

82

Prot

ocol

upo

n as

sum

ptio

n of

off

ice

of p

erm

anen

t rep

rese

ntat

ives

3.

U

pon

assu

mpt

ion

of o

ffic

e by

a p

erm

anen

t rep

rese

ntat

ive,

the

perm

anen

t mis

sion

shou

ld a

sk th

e U

nite

d N

atio

ns P

roto

col a

nd L

iais

on

Serv

ice

in G

enev

a to

mak

e ar

rang

emen

ts fo

r the

pre

sent

atio

n of

cr

eden

tials

. Fo

r the

brie

f cer

emon

y of

pre

sent

atio

n, th

e C

hief

of

Prot

ocol

will

acc

ompa

ny th

e pe

rman

ent r

epre

sent

ativ

e.

4.

It is

cus

tom

ary

for a

new

per

man

ent r

epre

sent

ativ

e to

send

in

divi

dual

lette

rs to

oth

er p

erm

anen

t rep

rese

ntat

ives

info

rmin

g th

em

that

he

has p

rese

nted

his

cre

dent

ials

. 5.

It

is th

e pr

actic

e fo

r a n

ew p

erm

anen

t rep

rese

ntat

ive

to c

all o

n th

e di

rect

ors a

nd/o

r sec

reta

ries-

gene

ral o

f spe

cial

ized

age

ncie

s and

ot

her i

nter

natio

nal o

rgan

izat

ions

to w

hich

he

is a

ccre

dite

d.

6.

Giv

en th

e la

rge

num

ber o

f per

man

ent m

issi

ons i

n G

enev

a, it

is

left

to th

e di

scre

tion

of th

e pe

rman

ent r

epre

sent

ativ

e as

to w

hich

co

lleag

ues h

e m

ight

wis

h to

cal

l upo

n. I

t is a

dvis

able

to p

ay a

vis

it to

th

e C

hairm

an o

f the

Gen

eva

Dip

lom

atic

Com

mitt

ee a

nd to

the

Hea

d of

th

e Pe

rman

ent M

issi

on o

f the

hos

t cou

ntry

. 7.

Th

e A

utho

ritie

s of t

he R

epub

lic a

nd C

anto

n, a

s wel

l as o

f the

C

ity o

f Gen

eva,

app

reci

ate

cour

tesy

cal

ls b

y ne

wly

-arr

ived

per

man

ent

repr

esen

tativ

es.

How

ever

, giv

en th

e la

rge

num

ber o

f dip

lom

atic

and

co

nsul

ar m

issi

ons i

n G

enev

a, su

ch c

ourte

sy c

alls

are

left

entir

ely

to th

e di

scre

tion

of th

e ne

wly

-arr

ived

per

man

ent r

epre

sent

ativ

e.

Prec

eden

ce

8.

(a)

Uni

ted

Nat

ions

: Pre

cede

nce

amon

g th

e O

rgan

izat

ion

of

the

Uni

ted

Nat

ions

is th

e fo

llow

ing:

Sec

reta

ry-G

ener

al o

f the

Uni

ted

Nat

ions

, Dep

uty

Secr

etar

y-G

ener

al o

f the

Uni

ted

Nat

ions

, UN

DP,

U

NC

TAD

, UN

EP, U

NH

CR

, UN

RW

A, U

NIC

EF, U

NFP

A, W

FP,

UN

DC

P, O

HC

HR

, und

er-s

ecre

tarie

s-ge

nera

l, as

sist

ant-s

ecre

tarie

s-ge

nera

l, di

rect

ors.

(b)

Bet

wee

n pe

rman

ent r

epre

sent

ativ

es a

ccre

dite

d to

the

Gen

eva

Off

ice:

Pre

cede

nce

amon

g pe

rman

ent r

epre

sent

ativ

es w

ho h

old

the

rank

of a

mba

ssad

or is

det

erm

ined

by

the

date

of p

rese

ntat

ion

of

cred

entia

ls.

Und

er th

e ne

xt c

ateg

ory

fall

perm

anen

t rep

rese

ntat

ives

w

ho d

o no

t hol

d th

e ra

nk o

f am

bass

ador

; act

ing

perm

anen

t re

pres

enta

tives

take

pre

cede

nce

afte

r per

man

ent r

epre

sent

ativ

es,

irres

pect

ive

of th

eir t

itle,

in a

ccor

danc

e w

ith th

eir l

ast n

omin

atio

n as

su

ch.

(c)

Bet

wee

n pe

rman

ent r

epre

sent

ativ

es a

ccre

dite

d to

the

Gen

eva

Off

ice

and

the

Perm

anen

t Rep

rese

ntat

ive

of th

e ho

st c

ount

ry:

Prec

eden

ce c

an, b

y co

urte

sy, b

e gi

ven

to th

e la

tter.

(d)

Bet

wee

n ot

her m

embe

rs o

f per

man

ent m

issi

ons:

Prec

eden

ce is

det

erm

ined

by

rank

, and

with

in e

ach

grou

p (a

mba

ssad

ors,

min

iste

rs a

nd m

inis

ters

cou

nsel

lors

, cou

nsel

lors

, etc

.) ac

cord

ing

to d

ate

of a

rriv

al.

(e)

Bet

wee

n pe

rman

ent r

epre

sent

ativ

es a

nd h

eads

of

secr

etar

iats

of i

nter

natio

nal o

rgan

izat

ions

: .

The

Dire

ctor

-Gen

eral

of t

he U

nite

d N

atio

ns O

ffic

e at

G

enev

a ta

kes p

rece

denc

e ov

er p

erm

anen

t rep

rese

ntat

ives

;

83

. D

irect

ors-

gene

ral o

r sec

reta

ries-

gene

ral o

f the

sp

ecia

lized

age

ncie

s sho

uld

be g

iven

pre

cede

nce

over

per

man

ent

repr

esen

tativ

es w

hen

invi

ted

by a

per

man

ent r

epre

sent

ativ

e;

. Pr

eced

ence

bet

wee

n di

rect

ors-

gene

ral a

nd se

cret

arie

s-ge

nera

l of s

peci

aliz

ed a

genc

ies i

s det

erm

ined

acc

ordi

ng to

the

date

of

the

agre

emen

t bet

wee

n th

e sp

ecia

lized

age

ncy

in q

uest

ion

and

the

Uni

ted

Nat

ions

. A

mon

g th

e sp

ecia

lized

age

ncie

s and

inte

rnat

iona

l or

gani

zatio

ns, t

he p

rece

denc

e is

as f

ollo

ws:

ILO

, FA

O, U

NES

CO

, IC

AO

, WH

O, W

orld

Ban

k, IM

F, U

PU, I

TU, W

MO

, IM

O, W

IPO

, IF

AD

, UN

IDO

, IA

EA, a

nd W

TO.

In so

cial

gat

herin

gs h

oste

d by

the

Dire

ctor

-Gen

eral

of t

he U

nite

d N

atio

ns O

ffic

e at

Gen

eva

or b

y th

e di

rect

ors-

gene

ral o

r sec

reta

ries-

gene

ral o

f the

spec

ializ

ed a

genc

ies,

it is

th

e pr

actic

e th

at th

e pe

rman

ent r

epre

sent

ativ

es ta

ke p

rece

denc

e;

. A

s to

othe

r int

ergo

vern

men

tal o

rgan

izat

ions

, the

ir he

ads s

houl

d be

giv

en p

rece

denc

e ov

er p

erm

anen

t rep

rese

ntat

ives

whe

n th

is is

in th

e na

ture

of t

he so

cial

gat

herin

g in

que

stio

n.

(f)

Bet

wee

n pe

rman

ent r

epre

sent

ativ

es a

nd h

igh

offic

ials

of

the

Inte

rnat

iona

l Com

mitt

ee o

f the

Red

Cro

ss: T

he P

resi

dent

of t

he

ICR

C ta

kes p

rece

denc

e ov

er p

erm

anen

t rep

rese

ntat

ives

; the

latte

r tak

e pr

eced

ence

ove

r oth

er o

ffic

ials

of t

he IC

RC

. (g

) B

etw

een

othe

r mem

bers

of p

erm

anen

t mis

sion

s and

in

tern

atio

nal s

ecre

taria

ts: A

mba

ssad

ors w

ho a

re n

ot p

erm

anen

t re

pres

enta

tives

will

rank

abo

ve d

eput

y di

rect

ors-

gene

ral o

r dep

uty

secr

etar

ies-

gene

ral o

f the

spec

ializ

ed a

genc

ies a

nd o

ther

in

terg

over

nmen

tal o

rgan

izat

ions

. M

inis

ters

who

are

not

per

man

ent

repr

esen

tativ

es w

ill ra

nk a

bove

dire

ctor

s of d

ivis

ion.

(h)

Bet

wee

n pe

rman

ent r

epre

sent

ativ

es a

nd o

ther

del

egat

es

atte

ndin

g co

nfer

ence

s: In

soci

al g

athe

rings

rela

ted

to a

con

fere

nce,

pr

eced

ence

am

ong

head

s of d

eleg

atio

n is

det

erm

ined

eith

er a

ccor

ding

to

the

alph

abet

ical

ord

er o

f the

cou

ntrie

s rep

rese

nted

, or i

n co

nfor

mity

w

ith th

e es

tabl

ishe

d pr

actic

e of

the

conf

eren

ce in

que

stio

n. P

resi

ding

of

ficer

s may

take

pre

cede

nce

over

oth

er h

eads

of d

eleg

atio

n. I

n ga

ther

ings

whi

ch a

re n

ot re

late

d to

a c

onfe

renc

e, p

rece

denc

e is

giv

en to

pe

rman

ent r

epre

sent

ativ

es.

(i)

Bet

wee

n pe

rman

ent r

epre

sent

ativ

es a

nd m

embe

rs o

f pe

rman

ent m

issi

ons,

on th

e on

e ha

nd, a

nd G

enev

a A

utho

ritie

s, on

the

othe

r: A

ttent

ion

is d

raw

n to

the

prec

eden

ce re

com

men

ded

in th

e "R

ègle

men

t con

cern

ant l

e Pr

otoc

ole"

, by

the

Rep

ublic

and

Can

ton

of

Gen

eva.

(j)

Add

ition

al re

mar

ks: I

n so

cial

gat

herin

gs in

hon

our o

f a

give

n pe

rson

ality

, the

latte

r tak

es p

rece

denc

e ov

er a

ll ot

her g

uest

s; in

su

ch c

ases

, the

fact

shou

ld b

e m

entio

ned

whi

le is

suin

g in

vita

tions

. In

so

cial

gat

herin

gs o

rgan

ized

by,

or i

n co

nnex

ion

with

, spe

cial

bod

ies,

thei

r est

ablis

hed

prac

tice

prev

ails

. Pr

esen

ce o

f per

man

ent r

epre

sent

ativ

es a

t cer

emon

ies,

etc.

or

gani

zed

by in

tern

atio

nal o

rgan

izat

ions

9.

W

hen

perm

anen

t rep

rese

ntat

ives

are

col

lect

ivel

y in

vite

d to

ce

rem

onie

s, et

c., r

athe

r tha

n as

mem

bers

of n

atio

nal d

eleg

atio

ns, t

hey

shou

ld b

e co

llect

ivel

y se

ated

in a

n ex

clus

ivel

y re

serv

ed a

rea

in th

e rig

ht

fore

fron

t of t

he ro

om, i

mm

edia

tely

afte

r cab

inet

min

iste

rs a

nd th

e lik

e.

Shou

ld th

is n

ot p

rove

to b

e po

ssib

le fo

r pra

ctic

al re

ason

s, a

sim

ilar

arra

ngem

ent m

ight

be

mad

e in

ano

ther

pro

min

ent p

art o

f the

room

. Th

e C

hief

of P

roto

col o

r ano

ther

hig

h of

ficia

l of t

he in

vitin

g

84

orga

niza

tion

mig

ht g

reet

the

perm

anen

t rep

rese

ntat

ives

at t

he e

ntra

nce

and

see

that

they

are

ush

ered

to th

eir s

eats

. 10

. In

a c

erem

ony

to w

hich

per

man

ent r

epre

sent

ativ

es a

re in

vite

d co

llect

ivel

y ra

ther

than

as m

embe

rs o

f nat

iona

l del

egat

ions

, and

dur

ing

whi

ch re

pres

enta

tives

of i

nter

natio

nal o

rgan

izat

ions

, loc

al a

utho

ritie

s, an

d th

e lik

e, a

re se

ated

on

a po

dium

, the

pos

sibi

lity

shou

ld b

e co

nsid

ered

of i

nviti

ng th

e C

hairm

an o

f the

Gen

eva

Dip

lom

atic

C

omm

ittee

or,

in h

is a

bsen

ce, o

ne o

f the

vic

e-ch

airm

en, t

o th

e po

dium

. 11

. It

is d

esira

ble

that

per

man

ent r

epre

sent

ativ

es b

e gi

ven

acce

ss to

al

l mee

tings

at w

hich

thei

r cou

ntry

is re

pres

ente

d, ir

resp

ectiv

e of

w

heth

er th

ey h

ave

been

form

ally

not

ified

as m

embe

rs o

f del

egat

ions

to

such

mee

tings

. E

nd o

f ten

ure

of o

ffic

e of

per

man

ent r

epre

sent

ativ

es a

nd m

embe

rs

of p

erm

anen

t mis

sion

s 12

. W

hen

a pe

rman

ent r

epre

sent

ativ

e re

linqu

ishe

s his

pos

t, th

e cu

rren

t pra

ctic

e is

that

he

pay

a fa

rew

ell v

isit

to th

e D

irect

or-

Gen

eral

of t

he U

nite

d N

atio

ns O

ffic

e at

Gen

eva

and

to th

e di

rect

ors

and/

or se

cret

arie

s-ge

nera

l of t

he sp

ecia

lized

age

ncie

s and

oth

er

inte

rnat

iona

l org

aniz

atio

ns to

whi

ch h

e is

acc

redi

ted

and

that

he

info

rm

othe

r per

man

ent r

epre

sent

ativ

es, i

n w

ritin

g, o

f his

dep

artu

re.

The

Uni

ted

Nat

ions

Off

ice

at G

enev

a co

rres

pond

ingl

y in

form

s the

Pe

rman

ent M

issi

on o

f the

hos

t cou

ntry

. A

ttent

ion

is a

lso,

mut

atis

m

utan

dis,

draw

n to

par

agra

ph 7

abo

ve.

13.

Ther

e is

no

inst

itutio

naliz

ed p

ract

ice

of fa

rew

ell g

ifts f

rom

pe

rman

ent r

epre

sent

ativ

es to

a d

epar

ting

perm

anen

t rep

rese

ntat

ive.

Tem

pora

ry a

bsen

ces o

f per

man

ent r

epre

sent

ativ

es

14.

Perm

anen

t mis

sion

s mus

t adv

ise,

in w

ritin

g, th

e U

nite

d N

atio

ns

Off

ice

at G

enev

a an

d ot

her p

erm

anen

t mis

sion

s abo

ut te

mpo

rary

ab

senc

es o

f per

man

ent r

epre

sent

ativ

es, n

amin

g th

e m

embe

r of t

he

perm

anen

t mis

sion

in q

uest

ion

who

will

be

in c

harg

e.

Cha

nges

in th

e di

plom

atic

per

sonn

el o

f the

per

man

ent m

issi

ons

15.

Perm

anen

t mis

sion

s mus

t adv

ise

the

Uni

ted

Nat

ions

Pro

toco

l an

d Li

aiso

n Se

rvic

e in

Gen

eva

of c

hang

es in

the

dipl

omat

ic p

erso

nnel

(a

rriv

als,

depa

rture

s, of

ficia

l titl

es, p

rom

otio

ns, e

tc.).

85

Uno

ffic

ial t

rans

latio

n

FED

ER

AL

DE

PAR

TM

EN

T O

F FO

RE

IGN

AFF

AIR

S

PRO

TO

CO

L R

EG

UL

AT

ION

S FO

R T

HE

SW

ISS

CO

NFE

DE

RA

TIO

N

App

rove

d by

the

Fede

ral C

ounc

il 9

Dec

embe

r 20

02

Uno

ffic

ial t

rans

latio

n

1

The

term

s use

d in

thes

e re

gula

tions

to d

escr

ibe

func

tions

(Pre

side

nt o

f the

Con

fede

ratio

n, C

hanc

ello

r of t

he

Con

fede

ratio

n, H

ead

of P

roto

col,

Hea

d of

Mis

sion

, etc

.) re

fer t

o bo

th g

ende

rs.

CO

NT

EN

TS

Pa

ges

PAR

T 1

Com

pete

nce

rega

rdin

g pr

otoc

ol a

nd c

erem

onia

l 2

P AR

T 2

Prot

ocol

reg

ulat

ions

I. A

grém

ent o

f a n

ew H

ead

of M

issi

on

2 II

. A

rriv

al o

f a n

ew H

ead

of M

issi

on

2 II

I. Pr

esen

tatio

n of

cre

dent

ials

/lettr

es d

e ca

bine

t 3

IV.

Abs

ence

s and

reca

ll of

the

Hea

d of

Mis

sion

3-

4 V

. A

udie

nces

4

VI.

Vis

its to

the

cant

onal

aut

horit

ies

4 V

II.

Pres

enta

tion

of N

ew Y

ear w

ishe

s 4-

5 V

III.

Off

icia

l rec

eptio

ns fo

r the

Dip

lom

atic

Cor

ps

5 IX

. In

vita

tions

from

the

Dip

lom

atic

Cor

ps

5 X

. O

ffic

ial v

isits

5-

7 X

I. Pr

ivat

e st

ay o

r tra

nsit

visi

t to

Switz

erla

nd b

y a

fore

ign

dign

itary

7

XII

. D

eath

s 7-

8 X

III.

Fede

ral f

lag

8 X

IV.

Dec

orat

ions

8-

9 X

V.

Wea

ring

of fo

reig

n ar

med

-for

ces’

uni

form

s in

Switz

erla

nd

9 X

VI.

Ord

er o

f spe

eche

s 9

XV

II.

Prec

eden

ce

9-11

(App

endi

x: L

ist o

f Pre

cede

nce

in S

witz

erla

nd)

PAR

T 3

Inte

rnat

iona

l org

anisa

tions

12

P AR

T 4

Fina

l pro

visi

ons

12

86

Uno

ffic

ial t

rans

latio

n

2

PAR

T 1

Com

pete

nce

rega

rdin

g pr

otoc

ol a

nd c

erem

onia

l

1.Th

e Fe

dera

l Dep

artm

ent o

f Fo

reig

n A

ffai

rs is

the

com

pete

nt a

utho

rity

to d

eter

min

e m

atte

rs o

f pro

toco

l and

cer

emon

ial c

once

rnin

g th

e Fe

dera

l Cou

ncil

and

the

Pres

iden

t of

the

Swis

s Con

fede

ratio

n.

2.Pr

otoc

ol o

f the

Fed

eral

Dep

artm

ent o

f For

eign

Aff

airs

(her

eafte

r Pro

toco

l) en

sure

s co-

ordi

natio

n w

ith th

e ot

her

Dep

artm

ents

and

with

the

fede

ral,

cant

onal

and

com

mun

al

auth

oriti

es.

PAR

T 2

Prot

ocol

reg

ulat

ions

I.A

grém

ento

f a n

ew H

ead

of M

issi

on

1.A

grém

ent o

f a n

ew H

ead

of M

issi

on is

sou

ght b

y th

e se

ndin

g St

ate

eith

er th

roug

h its

di

plom

atic

mis

sion

in

Switz

erla

nd o

r th

roug

h th

e Sw

iss

dipl

omat

ic m

issi

on i

n th

at

Stat

e. A

cur

ricul

um v

itae

is to

be

encl

osed

with

the

requ

est.

2.Th

e pr

oced

ure

rem

ains

sec

ret u

p to

the

mom

e nt w

hen

agré

men

t is

com

mun

icat

ed to

th

e au

thor

ities

of

the

send

ing

Stat

e th

roug

h th

e sa

me

dipl

omat

ic c

hann

el u

sed

to

subm

it th

e re

ques

t.

3.Th

e Sw

iss a

utho

ritie

s do

not i

ssue

a p

ress

rele

ase

whe

n ag

rém

ent i

s giv

en.

II.

Arr

ival

of a

new

Hea

d of

Mis

sion

1.Th

e ar

rival

of a

new

Hea

d of

Mis

sion

is n

otifi

ed w

ithou

t del

ay to

Pro

toco

l.

The

new

Hea

d of

Mis

sion

is o

ffic

ially

wel

com

ed b

y a

repr

esen

tativ

e of

Pro

toco

l if

arriv

ing

at B

erne

railw

ay st

atio

n or

at B

elpm

oos a

irpor

t, ne

ar B

erne

. How

ever

, a H

ead

of M

issi

on is

not

acc

orde

d an

off

icia

l wel

com

e on

arr

ival

in S

witz

erla

nd a

t a b

orde

r po

st o

r els

ewhe

re th

an in

Ber

ne.

2.D

urin

g th

e fir

st d

ays

follo

win

g ar

rival

in B

erne

, the

Dep

uty-

Hea

d of

Pro

toco

l pay

s a

visi

t to

the

new

Hea

d of

Mis

sion

. N

ew H

eads

of

Mis

sion

with

out

a pe

rman

ent

resi

denc

e in

Ber

ne p

rese

nt th

emse

lves

dire

ctly

to th

e H

ead

of P

roto

col.

Uno

ffic

ial t

rans

latio

n

3

III.

Pres

enta

tion

of c

rede

ntia

ls/le

ttre

s de

cabi

net

1.W

hen

visi

ting

the

Hea

d of

Pro

toco

l, th

e ne

w H

ead

of M

issi

on p

rese

nts

true

copi

es o

f hi

s c

rede

ntia

ls a

nd o

f his

pre

dece

ssor

’s le

tters

of r

ecal

l. Fr

om th

at m

omen

t, th

e ne

w

Hea

d of

Mis

sion

can

fully

exe

rcis

e hi

s fun

ctio

ns.

2.Th

e H

ead

of P

roto

col d

escr

ibes

in b

road

term

s ho

w th

e fe

dera

l adm

inis

tratio

n an

d, in

pa

rticu

lar,

the

Fede

ral

Dep

artm

ent

of F

orei

gn A

ffai

rs i

s or

gani

sed.

He

expl

ains

ce

rem

onia

l fo

r th

e pr

esen

tatio

n of

cre

dent

ials

, and

ind

icat

es t

he d

ay t

his

will

tak

e pl

ace.

3.O

n th

e ap

poin

ted

day,

as

conf

irmed

by

note

ver

bale

, a

repr

esen

tativ

e of

Pro

toco

l, ac

com

pani

ed b

y an

ush

er in

ful

l dre

ss a

nd a

pol

ice

esco

rt, a

rriv

es to

col

lect

the

new

H

ead

of M

issi

on i

n an

off

icia

l ca

r an

d ac

com

pany

him

to

the

Fede

ral

Pala

ce. T

he

Hea

d of

Mis

sion

may

be

acco

mpa

nied

by

a m

axim

um o

f th

ree

mem

bers

of

his

dipl

omat

ic st

aff.

On

arriv

al, t

he H

ead

of P

roto

col w

elco

mes

the

Hea

d of

Mis

sion

and

con

duct

s hi

m to

th

eSa

lon

d’ho

nneu

r of

the

Fede

ral C

ounc

il to

be

intro

duce

d to

the

Pres

iden

t of

the

Con

fede

ratio

n an

d th

e C

hanc

ello

r of

the

Con

fede

ratio

n. I

f pr

even

ted

from

atte

ndin

g,

the

Pres

iden

t is

, in

prin

cipl

e, r

epre

sent

ed b

y th

e V

ice-

Pres

iden

t of

the

Fed

eral

C

ounc

il.

4.N

o sp

eech

es a

re m

ade

nor

writ

ten

com

mun

icat

ions

exc

hang

ed a

t th

e tim

e of

pr

esen

ting

cred

entia

ls s

o as

to le

ave

mor

e tim

e fo

r inf

orm

al d

iscu

ssio

n. P

hoto

grap

hs

are

take

n du

ring

the

cere

mon

y w

hich

, in

prin

cipl

e, d

oes

not e

xcee

d 15

min

utes

. The

H

ead

of M

issi

on i

s es

corte

d ba

ck t

o hi

s re

side

nce

as s

oon

as t

he c

erem

ony

has

finis

hed.

5.D

ress

cod

e fo

r thi

s cer

emon

y: d

ark

suit,

nat

iona

l cos

tum

e or

uni

form

.

6.A

pre

ss re

leas

e on

the

pres

enta

tion

of c

rede

ntia

ls is

issu

ed b

y th

e Fe

dera

l Dep

artm

ent

of F

orei

gn A

ffai

rs.

7.Th

e C

harg

é d'

Aff

aire

s en

pie

d is

acc

ompa

nied

by

a re

pres

enta

tive

of P

roto

col i

n an

of

ficia

l car

to th

e Fe

dera

l Pal

ace

whe

re h

e is

cond

ucte

d to

the

offic

e of

the

Hea

d of

th

e Fe

dera

l Dep

artm

ent o

f For

eign

Aff

airs

for t

he p

rese

ntat

ion

of le

ttres

de

cabi

net.

IV.

Abs

ence

s and

rec

all o

f the

Hea

d of

Mis

sion

1.A

Hea

d of

Mis

sion

tem

pora

rily

leav

ing

Switz

erla

nd in

form

s Pr

otoc

ol b

y no

te v

erba

le

and

indi

cate

s th

e na

me

of th

e m

embe

r of h

is d

iplo

mat

ic s

taff

who

will

run

the

mis

sion

as

Cha

rgé

d'A

ffai

res a

d in

teri

m d

urin

g hi

s ab

senc

e. If

the

Hea

d of

Mis

sion

is u

nabl

e to

do

this

bef

ore

leav

ing,

the

nam

e of

the

Cha

rgé

d'A

ffai

res

ad in

teri

m m

ust b

e no

tifie

d to

the

Fed

eral

Dep

artm

ent

of F

orei

gn A

ffai

rs (

Prot

ocol

) in

a f

ax m

essa

ge f

rom

the

M

inis

try o

f Fo

reig

n A

ffai

rs o

f th

e se

ndin

g St

ate.

On

his

retu

rn, t

he H

ead

of M

issi

on

notif

ies P

roto

col o

f his

resu

mpt

ion

of d

utie

s.

87

Uno

ffic

ial t

rans

latio

n

4

2.Th

e C

harg

é d'

Aff

aire

s ad

int

erim

see

s to

it

that

his

cou

ntry

’s M

inis

try o

f Fo

reig

n A

ffai

rs n

otifi

es t

he F

eder

al D

epar

tmen

t of

For

eign

Aff

airs

(Pr

otoc

ol)

in a

dvan

ce b

y fa

x of

any

tem

pora

ry o

r pe

rman

ent a

bsen

ce f

rom

Sw

itzer

land

, inc

ludi

ng th

e na

me

of

the

pers

on d

esig

nate

d to

take

ove

r his

func

tions

as C

harg

é d'

Aff

aire

s ad

inte

rim

.

3.W

hen

a H

ead

of M

issi

on w

ho h

as c

arrie

d ou

t dut

ies i

n B

erne

for t

hree

yea

rs o

r mor

e is

to

leav

e pe

rman

ently

, a f

arew

ell l

unch

eon

is g

iven

in h

is h

onou

r by

the

Secr

etar

y of

St

ate,

the

Secr

etar

y G

ener

al o

r a D

irect

or o

f the

Fed

eral

Dep

artm

ent o

f For

eign

Aff

airs

on

beh

alf o

f the

Fed

eral

Cou

ncil.

4.Fa

rew

ell v

isits

to m

embe

rs o

f the

Fed

eral

Cou

ncil

are

not r

equi

red.

How

ever

, Hea

ds o

f M

issi

on w

ho w

ish

to p

ay a

far

ewel

l vi

sit t

o th

e H

ead

of th

e Fe

dera

l Dep

artm

ent o

f Fo

reig

n A

ffai

rs, a

nd p

ossi

bly

to o

ther

mem

bers

of t

he F

eder

al C

ounc

il, s

houl

d co

ntac

t Pr

otoc

ol to

org

anis

e su

ch v

isits

.

V.

Aud

ienc

es

Follo

win

g th

e pr

esen

tatio

n of

cre

dent

ials

, Pr

otoc

ol i

s at

the

dis

posa

l of

Hea

ds o

f M

issi

on to

arr

ange

the

date

s an

d tim

es o

f aud

ienc

es th

ey w

ish

to h

ave

with

the

Hea

d of

the

Fed

eral

Dep

artm

ent

of F

orei

gn A

ffai

rs o

r ot

her

mem

bers

of

the

Fede

ral

Cou

ncil.

The

se a

udie

nces

, to

be re

ques

ted

by n

ote

verb

ale,

are

how

ever

not

obl

igat

ory

and

shou

ld, f

or p

refe

renc

e, b

e co

mbi

ned

with

a d

iplo

mat

ic d

émar

che.

VI.

Vis

its to

the

cant

onal

aut

hori

ties

1.O

ffic

ial

visi

ts t

hat

Hea

ds o

f M

issi

on w

ish

to m

ake

to t

he c

anto

nal

auth

oriti

es a

re

neith

er c

onsi

dere

d ob

ligat

ory

nor

are

they

trul

y cu

stom

ary.

Acc

ordi

ng to

the

Fede

ral

Con

stitu

tion,

fore

ign

affa

irs fa

ll w

ithin

the

com

pete

nce

of th

e C

onfe

dera

tion.

2.Ea

ch c

anto

n is

sov

erei

gn in

this

resp

ect,

how

ever

, and

det

erm

ines

its

own

crite

ria fo

r re

ceiv

ing

gues

ts.

3.V

isits

prim

arily

occ

ur i

n th

e ca

nton

s w

here

the

rel

evan

t St

ates

hav

e pa

rticu

lar

inte

rest

s an

d w

ith w

hich

the

y cu

ltiva

te c

lose

rel

atio

ns. T

his

appl

ies

in p

artic

ular

to

cant

ons

whe

re t

he S

tate

s m

aint

ain

cons

ular

rep

rese

ntat

ions

, whe

re t

hey

have

dire

ct

com

mer

cial

inte

rest

s, or

whe

re a

sign

ifica

nt n

umbe

r of t

heir

citiz

ens r

esid

e.

4.Th

e H

ead

of M

issi

on sh

all t

ake

care

to li

mit

the

num

ber o

f suc

h vi

sits

to tw

o pe

r yea

r, m

akin

g ea

ch r

eque

st b

y no

te v

erba

le to

Pro

toco

l, w

hich

ens

ures

co-

ordi

natio

n w

ith

the

cant

ons.

Onl

y vi

sits

to th

e B

erne

can

tona

l aut

horit

y ar

e ar

rang

ed d

irect

ly b

y th

e in

tere

sted

Mis

sion

.

VII

. Pre

sent

atio

n of

New

Yea

r w

ishe

s

1.Th

e Pr

esid

ent

of t

he C

onfe

dera

tion

rece

ives

New

Yea

r w

ishe

s an

d re

spon

ds t

o th

e sp

eech

by

the

Dea

n of

the

Dip

lom

atic

Cor

ps.

2.Th

e H

ead

of th

e Fe

dera

l Dep

artm

ent o

f For

eign

Aff

airs

atte

nds t

his c

erem

ony.

Uno

ffic

ial t

rans

latio

n

5

3.A

s a

gene

ral r

ule

the

cere

mon

y ta

kes

plac

e du

ring

the

seco

nd w

eek

in J

anua

ry. E

ach

Hea

d of

Mis

sion

may

be

acco

mpa

nied

by

a m

embe

r of

the

dip

lom

atic

sta

ff o

f th

e M

issi

on,

but

not

his

spou

se.

Prot

ocol

est

ablis

hes

the

prog

ram

me

for

rece

ivin

g th

e H

eads

of

Mis

sion

. D

ress

cod

e fo

r th

is c

erem

ony:

dar

k su

it, n

atio

nal

cost

ume

or

unifo

rm.

VII

I. O

ffic

ial r

ecep

tions

in h

onou

r of

the

Dip

lom

atic

Cor

ps

1.Ev

ery

two

year

s (in

odd

-num

bere

d ye

ars)

, the

Fed

eral

Cou

ncil

orga

nise

s a

cultu

ral

even

t fol

low

ed b

y a

rece

ptio

n.

The

Hea

ds o

f M

issi

on a

nd C

harg

és d

'Aff

aire

s ad

int

erim

who

hav

e be

en o

ffic

ially

no

tifie

d to

Pro

toco

l are

invi

ted

toge

ther

with

thei

r spo

uses

.

D

ress

cod

e is

det

erm

ined

by

Prot

ocol

.

2.A

ltern

atin

g w

ith th

is (i

.e. i

n ev

en-n

umbe

red

year

s), t

he F

eder

al C

ounc

il or

gani

ses

an

excu

rsio

n, w

ith in

vita

tions

rest

ricte

d to

the

Hea

ds o

f Mis

sion

and

Cha

rgés

d'A

ffai

res

ad i

nter

im w

ho h

ave

been

off

icia

lly n

otifi

ed t

o Pr

otoc

ol,

acco

mpa

nied

by

thei

r sp

ouse

s.

IX. I

nvita

tions

from

the

Dip

lom

atic

Cor

ps

1.Th

e m

embe

rs o

f the

Fed

eral

Cou

ncil

and

the

Cha

ncel

lor o

f the

Con

fede

ratio

n do

not

in

prin

cipl

e at

tend

rec

eptio

ns g

iven

by

Hea

ds o

f Mis

sion

on

thei

r co

untri

es’

natio

nal

days

.

2.Th

e m

embe

rs o

f th

e Fe

dera

l C

ounc

il m

ay,

on t

he o

ther

han

d, p

erso

nally

acc

ept

invi

tatio

ns to

lunc

h or

din

ner,

or a

ny o

ther

rece

ptio

n gi

ven

in th

eir h

onou

r.

In

vita

tions

are

com

mun

icat

ed v

ia P

roto

col.

X.

Off

icia

l vis

its

1.St

ate

visi

ts

A S

tate

vis

it is

one

mad

e in

Sw

itzer

land

by

a H

ead

of S

tate

, at t

he in

vita

tion

of th

e Fe

dera

l Cou

ncil.

As a

gen

eral

rule

, the

re a

re o

ne o

r tw

o St

ate

visi

ts a

yea

r.

The

prog

ram

me

of t

he v

isit

is p

repa

red

by P

roto

col

and

the

dipl

omat

ic m

issi

on i

n Sw

itzer

land

of

the

Stat

e co

ncer

ned.

The

for

eign

gue

st i

s, in

prin

cipl

e, o

ffer

ed

acco

mm

odat

ion

at a

maj

or h

otel

in B

erne

.

A S

tate

vis

it la

sts

two

days

.D

urin

g th

e fir

st d

ay,

the

Fede

ral

Cou

ncil

in c

orpo

re(in

clud

ing

the

Cha

ncel

lor

of th

e C

onfe

dera

tion)

off

icia

lly w

elco

mes

the

gues

t at t

he

Fede

ral P

alac

e.In

the

even

ing,

the

Fede

ral C

ounc

il ho

sts

a re

cept

ion

in h

onou

r of t

he

gues

t. Th

e re

mai

ning

par

t of t

he v

isit

is g

ener

ally

dev

oted

to e

xcur

sion

s.

88

Uno

ffic

ial t

rans

latio

n

6

Mili

tary

hon

ours

are

pai

d an

d th

e na

tiona

l an

them

s pl

ayed

dur

ing

the

offic

ial

wel

com

e in

Ber

ne’s

Bun

desp

latz

, an

d, i

n pr

inci

ple,

at

the

airp

ort

on t

he H

ead

of

Stat

e's d

epar

ture

.

2.O

ffici

al v

isit

by a

Hea

d of

Sta

te

An

offic

ial v

isit

by a

Hea

d of

Sta

te is

one

mad

e in

Sw

itzer

land

by

a H

ead

of S

tate

at

the

invi

tatio

n of

the

Fede

ral C

ounc

il.

The

prog

ram

me

of t

he v

isit

is p

repa

red

by P

roto

col

and

the

dipl

omat

ic m

issi

on i

n Sw

itzer

land

of

the

Stat

e co

ncer

ned.

The

vis

it is

, in

prin

cipl

e, d

evot

ed t

o of

ficia

l m

eetin

gs w

ith a

del

egat

ion

of F

eder

al C

ounc

illor

s an

d to

a l

unch

eon,

din

ner

or

rece

ptio

n ho

sted

by

the

Fede

ral

Cou

ncil

in h

onou

r of

the

gue

st. A

n ex

curs

ion

may

fo

llow

.

As a

rule

, the

fore

ign

gues

t is o

ffer

ed a

ccom

mod

atio

n at

a m

ajor

hot

el in

Ber

ne.

Mili

tary

hon

ours

are

pai

d an

d th

e na

tiona

l an

them

s pl

ayed

, in

prin

cipl

e, d

urin

g th

e of

ficia

l wel

com

e at

the

Lohn

Man

or in

Keh

rsat

z.

3.O

ffici

al v

isit

by a

Hea

d of

Gov

ernm

ent

An

offic

ial v

isit

by a

Hea

d of

Gov

ernm

ent i

s on

e m

ade

in S

witz

erla

nd b

y a

Hea

d of

G

over

nmen

t at t

he in

vita

tion

of th

e Fe

dera

l Cou

ncil.

The

prog

ram

me

of t

he v

isit

is p

repa

red

by P

roto

col

and

the

dipl

omat

ic m

issi

on i

n Sw

itzer

land

of

the

Stat

e co

ncer

ned.

As

a ge

nera

l rul

e, th

e vi

sit i

s de

vote

d to

off

icia

l m

eetin

gs w

ith a

del

egat

ion

of F

eder

al C

ounc

illor

s, pr

eced

ed o

r fo

llow

ed b

y a

lunc

heon

or a

din

ner.

An

excu

rsio

n m

ay fo

llow

.

As a

rule

, the

fore

ign

gues

t is o

ffer

ed a

ccom

mod

atio

n at

a m

ajor

hot

el in

Ber

ne.

4.O

ffici

al v

isit

by a

mem

ber o

f gov

ernm

ent

An

offic

ial v

isit

by a

mem

ber o

f gov

ernm

ent i

s one

mad

e in

Sw

itzer

land

by

a m

embe

r of

a fo

reig

n go

vern

men

t at t

he in

vita

tion

of th

at g

over

nmen

t mem

ber’

s cou

nter

part

in

the

Fede

ral C

ounc

il.

The

prog

ram

me

of t

he v

isit

is p

repa

red

by t

he F

eder

al D

epar

tmen

t co

ncer

ned,

the

re

leva

nt d

iplo

mat

ic m

issi

on i

n Sw

itzer

land

and

, if

nece

ssar

y, i

n co

nsul

tatio

n w

ith

Prot

ocol

. The

vis

it is

dev

oted

to o

ffic

ial m

eetin

gs p

rece

ded

or fo

llow

ed b

y a

lunc

heon

or

a d

inne

r.A

n ex

curs

ion

may

follo

w.

As a

rule

, the

fore

ign

gues

t is o

ffer

ed a

ccom

mod

atio

n at

a m

ajor

hot

el in

Ber

ne.

Uno

ffic

ial t

rans

latio

n

7

5.O

ffici

al w

orki

ng v

isit

An

offic

ial

wor

king

vis

it by

a H

ead

of S

tate

, H

ead

of G

over

nmen

t or

mem

ber

of

gove

rnm

ent

is l

ess

form

al t

han

an o

ffic

ial

visi

t. It

is t

here

fore

sub

ject

to

sim

plifi

ed

prot

ocol

, com

pris

ing

a w

elco

me

to B

erne

and

off

icia

l mee

tings

, pre

cede

d or

follo

wed

by

a lu

nche

on o

r a d

inne

r.

6.C

ourt

esy

visi

t

A c

ourte

sy v

isit

is o

ne t

hat

a H

ead

of S

tate

, Hea

d of

Gov

ernm

ent

or m

embe

r of

a

fore

ign

gove

rnm

ent

stay

ing

in S

witz

erla

nd w

ishe

s to

mak

e to

the

Pre

side

nt o

f th

e C

onfe

dera

tion

or a

noth

er m

embe

r of t

he F

eder

al C

ounc

il. T

he D

epar

tmen

t con

cern

ed

orga

nise

s su

ch v

isits

in

colla

bora

tion

with

the

dip

lom

atic

mis

sion

of

the

rele

vant

St

ate.

Pro

toco

l or

gani

ses

cour

tesy

vis

its b

y a

Min

iste

r of

For

eign

Aff

airs

to

the

Pres

iden

t of t

he C

onfe

dera

tion.

Cou

rtesy

vis

its, w

hich

nor

mal

ly a

re b

rief,

are

subj

ect

to si

mpl

ified

pro

toco

l.

7.Sp

ouse

of a

Hea

d of

Sta

te, H

ead

of G

over

nmen

t or m

embe

r of g

over

nmen

t

As a

gen

eral

rule

, pro

gram

mes

for t

he sp

ouse

of a

Hea

d of

Sta

te, H

ead

of G

over

nmen

tor

mem

ber

of g

over

nmen

t are

org

anis

ed b

y Pr

otoc

ol o

n th

e oc

casi

on o

f a

Stat

e vi

sit

only

.

XI.

Priv

ate

stay

or

tran

sit v

isit

to S

witz

erla

nd b

y a

fore

ign

dign

itary

Ther

e is

no

parti

cula

r pr

otoc

ol f

or a

priv

ate

stay

or

trans

it vi

sit t

o Sw

itzer

land

by

a fo

reig

n H

ead

of S

tate

or S

over

eign

, Hea

d of

Gov

ernm

ent o

r mem

ber o

f gov

ernm

ent.

The

dipl

omat

ic m

issi

on o

f the

Sta

te c

once

rned

sho

uld

give

off

icia

l adv

ance

not

ice

of

the

stay

to

Prot

ocol

. Th

at b

eing

don

e, t

he c

ompe

tent

Sw

iss

auth

oriti

es c

an m

ake

avai

labl

e ap

prop

riate

faci

litie

s on

arr

ival

and

dep

artu

re, t

akin

g ac

coun

t of t

he v

isito

r’s

stat

us.

Thes

e au

thor

ities

will

als

o ta

ke t

he s

ecur

ity m

easu

res

that

the

y co

nsid

er

nece

ssar

y pr

ovid

ed th

at th

ey a

re d

uly

info

rmed

by

note

ver

bale

fro

m th

e di

plom

atic

m

issi

on in

Sw

itzer

land

of t

he S

tate

con

cern

ed.

XII

. Dea

ths

1.In

cas

e of

the

dea

th o

f a

Hea

d of

Sta

te o

r H

ead

of G

over

nmen

t, th

e H

ead

of t

he

Fede

ral D

epar

tmen

t of F

orei

gn A

ffai

rs, a

ccom

pani

ed b

y a

clos

e ad

vise

r and

the

Hea

d of

Pro

toco

l, go

es to

the

resi

denc

e of

the

Hea

d of

Mis

sion

or

to th

e ch

ance

ry o

f th

e di

plom

atic

mis

sion

in S

witz

erla

nd o

f the

Sta

te in

mou

rnin

g to

pre

sent

the

cond

olen

ces

of th

e Fe

dera

l Cou

ncil,

and

to si

gn th

e co

ndol

ence

boo

k.

If t

he H

ead

of M

issi

on i

s a

Cha

rgé

d'A

ffai

res

en p

ied

or a

Cha

rgé

d'A

ffai

res

ad

inte

rim

, the

vis

it is

mad

e by

the

Hea

d of

Pro

toco

l.

If t

he d

iplo

mat

ic m

issi

on o

f th

e St

ate

in m

ourn

ing

orga

nise

s a

fune

ral

serv

ice,

the

Fe

dera

l Cou

ncil

is a

ppro

pria

tely

repr

esen

ted

ther

e.

89

Uno

ffic

ial t

rans

latio

n

8

2.In

cas

e of

the

deat

h of

a H

ead

of M

issi

on a

ccre

dite

d to

the

Fede

ral C

ounc

il, m

embe

rs

of th

e de

ceas

ed’s

fam

ily in

Ber

ne a

re v

isite

d by

the

Hea

d of

the

Fede

ral D

epar

tmen

t of

For

eign

Aff

airs

acc

ompa

nied

by

a cl

ose

advi

ser a

nd th

e H

ead

of P

roto

col.

If th

e de

ceas

ed w

as a

Cha

rgé

d'A

ffai

res

en p

ied

or C

harg

é d'

Aff

aire

s ad

inte

rim

, the

H

ead

of P

roto

col m

akes

the

visi

t.

Dur

ing

the

fune

ral,

a w

reat

h is

laid

on

beha

lf of

the

Fede

ral C

ounc

il. If

the

dece

ased

w

as a

Cha

rgé

d'A

ffai

res

en p

ied

or C

harg

é d'

Aff

aire

s ad

inte

rim

, the

wre

ath

is la

id o

n be

half

of th

e Fe

dera

l Dep

artm

ent o

f For

eign

Aff

airs

.

The

Fede

ral

Cou

ncil

or t

he F

eder

al D

epar

tmen

t of

For

eign

Aff

airs

are

rep

rese

nted

ap

prop

riate

ly a

t the

fune

ral c

erem

ony

or se

rvic

e.

3.

In c

ase

of th

e de

ath

of a

mem

ber

of th

e di

plom

atic

sta

ff o

f a

dipl

omat

ic m

issi

on in

Sw

itzer

land

, con

dole

nces

are

pre

sent

ed in

a le

tter

from

the

Hea

d of

Pro

toco

l to

the

Hea

d of

Mis

sion

.

XII

I. Fe

dera

l fla

g

The

fede

ral f

lag

is fl

own:

1.O

n th

e H

ouse

of P

arlia

men

t, i.e

. the

cen

tral b

uild

ing

of th

e Fe

dera

l Pal

ace,

dur

ing

fede

ral p

arlia

men

tary

sess

ions

;

2.O

n al

l bui

ldin

gs b

elon

ging

to th

e C

onfe

dera

tion

on 1

Aug

ust.

The

fede

ral f

lag

is fl

own

at h

alf-m

ast:

1.O

n al

l bui

ldin

gs b

elon

ging

to th

e C

onfe

dera

tion,

from

the

day

on w

hich

a F

eder

al

Cou

ncill

or d

ies i

n of

fice

until

the

day

of th

e fu

nera

l;

2.O

n th

e W

est W

ing

of th

e Fe

dera

l Pal

ace

on th

e da

y of

the

deat

h an

d on

the

day

of th

e fu

nera

l of:

a)

a H

ead

of S

tate

in o

ffic

e of

a c

ount

ry w

ith w

hich

the

Con

fede

ratio

n m

aint

ains

di

plom

atic

rela

tions

, and

in o

ther

circ

umst

ance

s as d

ecid

ed b

y th

e Fe

dera

l C

ounc

il;

b)

the

Cha

ncel

lor o

f the

Con

fede

ratio

n in

off

ice;

c)

a

Hea

d of

Mis

sion

acc

redi

ted

to th

e Fe

dera

l Cou

ncil.

The

Fede

ral P

alac

e an

d th

e C

ity o

f Ber

ne a

re d

ecke

d w

ith fl

ags:

Dur

ing

Stat

e vi

sits

.

Uno

ffic

ial t

rans

latio

n

9

XIV

. Dec

orat

ions

1.Th

e Fe

dera

l La

w o

f 23

Jun

e 20

00 o

n tit

les

and

deco

ratio

ns g

rant

ed b

y fo

reig

n au

thor

ities

pro

hibi

ts c

erta

in S

wis

s ci

tizen

s fr

om a

ccep

ting

title

s or

dec

orat

ions

that

a

fore

ign

gove

rnm

ent

may

wis

h to

con

fer

on t

hem

. Th

e sa

me

law

pro

hibi

ts f

orei

gn

dist

inct

ions

from

bei

ng a

ccep

ted

or w

orn

by m

embe

rs o

f the

Sw

iss a

rmed

forc

es.

2.D

iplo

mat

ic m

issi

ons

who

se g

over

nmen

ts i

nten

d to

con

fer

a di

stin

ctio

n or

titl

e on

a

Swis

s citi

zen

are

requ

este

d to

con

sult

Prot

ocol

in a

dvan

ce, i

n ea

ch c

ase.

XV

. Wea

ring

of f

orei

gn a

rmed

-for

ces'

uni

form

s in

Switz

erla

nd

1.W

earin

g th

e un

iform

of f

orei

gn a

rmed

forc

es is

forb

idde

n in

Sw

itzer

land

. In

som

e ve

ry

spec

ific

case

s, sp

ecia

l aut

horis

atio

n m

ay b

e gr

ante

d by

the

Fede

ral D

epar

tmen

t of

Def

ence

, Civ

il Pr

otec

tion

and

Spor

ts.

2.A

ll re

ques

ts m

ust b

e su

bmitt

ed to

Mili

tary

Pro

toco

l usi

ng a

ppro

pria

te fo

rms.

3.A

s an

exc

eptio

n to

poi

nts

1 an

d 2

abov

e, D

efen

ce A

ttach

és a

nd D

eput

y A

ttach

és

accr

edite

d in

Sw

itzer

land

are

aut

horis

ed t

o w

ear

unifo

rm w

hile

car

ryin

g ou

t th

eir

dutie

s, w

ithou

t hav

ing

to su

bmit

a re

ques

t for

aut

horis

atio

n.

XV

I. O

rder

of s

peec

hes

As a

gen

eral

rule

, the

spea

ker w

ith th

e hi

ghes

t ran

k sp

eaks

last

.

XV

II. P

rece

denc

e

1.G

ener

al re

mar

ks

a)

The

ord

er o

f pr

eced

ence

to

be o

bser

ved

at o

ffic

ial

cere

mon

ies

and

rece

ptio

ns i

s in

dica

ted

in th

e fo

llow

ing

lists

and

tabl

es. P

roto

col i

s at

the

disp

osal

of d

iplo

mat

ic

mis

sion

s in

Switz

erla

nd th

at w

ould

like

spec

ific

deta

ils o

n th

is m

atte

r.

b)W

here

a n

umbe

r of p

erso

ns h

ave

the

sam

e ra

nk, t

heir

resp

ectiv

e pr

eced

ence

is, a

s a

gene

ral r

ule,

det

erm

ined

by

thei

r sen

iorit

y an

d ag

e. In

prin

cipl

e, s

pous

es s

hare

the

sam

e ra

nk.

90

Uno

ffic

ial t

rans

latio

n

10

2.Pr

eced

ence

of m

embe

rs o

f the

Dip

lom

atic

Cor

ps1.

Apo

stol

ic N

unci

o 2.

Am

bass

ador

s 3.

Cha

rgés

d'A

ffai

res e

n pi

ed4.

Cha

rgés

d'A

ffai

res a

d in

teri

m5.

Min

iste

r-C

ouns

ello

rs

6.C

ouns

ello

rs

7.Se

cret

arie

s of E

mba

ssy

8.

Atta

chés

In e

ach

cate

gory

, the

ord

er o

f pr

eced

ence

is

set

by t

he d

ate

whe

n cr

eden

tials

wer

e pr

esen

ted

or w

hen

the

dipl

omat

con

cern

ed to

ok u

p du

ties.

This

is in

dica

ted

in th

e lis

t of

Dip

lom

atic

Cor

ps m

embe

rs.

The

resp

ectiv

e ra

nkin

g of

Cha

rgés

d'A

ffai

res

ad

inte

rim

is d

eter

min

ed b

y th

e da

te o

n w

hich

thei

r ass

umpt

ion

of d

utie

s w

as n

otifi

ed to

Pr

otoc

ol.

3.Pr

eced

ence

of m

embe

rs o

f the

Con

sula

r Cor

ps

1.C

onsu

ls G

ener

al

2.C

onsu

ls

3.V

ice

Con

suls

4.

Con

sula

r age

nts

The

Hea

ds o

f Pos

t tak

e th

eir r

ank

in e

ach

cate

gory

acc

ordi

ng to

the

date

the

exeq

uatu

r w

as g

rant

ed. O

ther

con

sula

r age

nts

take

thei

r ran

k ac

cord

ing

to th

e da

te th

ey to

ok u

p th

eir d

utie

s, as

indi

cate

d in

the

list o

f mem

bers

of t

he C

onsu

lar C

orps

.

4.

Prec

eden

ce o

f for

eign

Def

ence

Atta

chés

and

thei

r Dep

utie

s

A)

The

prec

eden

ce o

f D

efen

ce A

ttach

és a

nd t

heir

Dep

utie

s is

det

erm

ined

on

an

indi

vidu

al b

asis

, acc

ordi

ng to

the

follo

win

g in

dica

tions

of e

quiv

alen

ce:

Gen

eral

=

Am

bass

ador

C

olon

el

= C

ouns

ello

r Li

eute

nant

Col

onel

and

Maj

or

= Fi

rst s

ecre

tary

Atta

chés

take

pre

cede

nce

over

dep

uty

atta

chés

.

B)

With

in th

e C

orps

of

Def

ence

Atta

chés

, the

ord

er o

f pr

eced

ence

is d

eter

min

ed b

y th

e da

te o

n w

hich

dut

ies

wer

e ta

ken

up. T

he D

efen

ce A

ttach

é w

ith r

esid

ence

in

Switz

erla

nd w

ho a

ssum

ed o

ffic

e ea

rlies

t is

the

Dea

n of

the

Cor

ps o

f D

efen

ce

Atta

chés

, reg

ardl

ess

of r

ank.

The

Def

ence

Atta

ché

with

res

iden

ce in

Sw

itzer

land

ap

pear

ing

imm

edia

tely

afte

r th

e D

ean

on th

e lis

t of

prec

eden

ce is

Vic

e-D

ean.

In

the

abse

nce

of th

e D

ean,

the

Vic

e D

ean

perf

orm

s th

e D

ean'

s fu

nctio

n. T

he o

rder

of

pre

cede

nce

for D

eput

y A

ttach

és fo

llow

s th

e sa

me

proc

edur

e as

that

app

lyin

g to

A

ttach

és, r

egar

dles

s of r

ank.

Mili

tary

Pro

toco

l w

ill s

uppl

y th

e pr

eced

ence

lis

t in

for

ce t

o au

thor

ities

tha

t re

ques

t it.

Uno

ffic

ial t

rans

latio

n

1

Mili

tary

Pro

toco

l is

the

liais

on o

ffic

e be

twee

n th

e D

efen

ce A

ttach

és a

ccre

dite

d in

Sw

itzer

land

an

d th

e ci

vilia

n an

d m

ilita

ry

auth

oriti

es,

the

arm

ed

forc

es’

com

man

ds a

nd S

wis

s mili

tary

dig

nita

ries.

5.

Publ

ic c

erem

onie

s and

offi

cial

act

s

Ord

er o

f pre

cede

nce

in B

erne

:

1.Pr

esid

ent o

f the

Con

fede

ratio

n 2.

Vic

e Pr

esid

ent o

f the

Fed

eral

Cou

ncil

3.Fe

dera

l Cou

ncill

ors

in th

e or

der o

f pre

cede

nce

dete

rmin

ed b

y se

nior

ity o

f the

ir el

ectio

n by

the

Fede

ral A

ssem

bly

4.Pr

esid

ent o

f the

Nat

iona

l Cou

ncil

5.Pr

esid

ent o

f the

Cou

ncil

of S

tate

s 6.

Cha

ncel

lor o

f the

Con

fede

ratio

n 7.

Pres

iden

t of t

he F

eder

al S

upre

me

Cou

rt 8.

Pres

iden

t of t

he F

eder

al In

sura

nce

Cou

rt 9.

Form

er F

eder

al C

ounc

illor

s 10

.Pr

esid

ents

of

the

cant

onal

gov

ernm

ents

in

the

orde

r gi

ven

in t

he C

onst

itutio

n (A

rt. 1

Fed

. Con

st.)

11.

Apo

stol

ic N

unci

o 12

.A

mba

ssad

ors a

ccre

dite

d in

Ber

ne

13.

Secr

etar

ies o

f Sta

te

14.

Mem

bers

of t

he N

atio

nal C

ounc

il 15

.M

embe

rs o

f the

Cou

ncil

of S

tate

s 16

.Sw

iss

dign

itarie

s an

d go

vern

men

t of

ficia

ls,

acco

rdin

g to

the

pre

cede

nce

list

atta

ched

17.

Cha

rgés

d'A

ffai

res e

n pi

ed18

.C

harg

és d

'Aff

aire

s ad

inte

rim

19.

Oth

er g

uest

s

Pr

otoc

ol is

ava

ilabl

e to

pro

vide

any

fur

ther

info

rmat

ion

and

to d

eter

min

e, d

epen

ding

on

the

circ

umst

ance

s, th

e or

der o

f pre

cede

nce

for S

wis

s of

ficia

ls n

ot in

clud

ed in

this

lis

t.

PAR

T 3

Inte

rnat

iona

l org

anis

atio

ns

1.Th

e Fe

dera

l C

ounc

il de

term

ines

the

pro

toco

l an

d ce

rem

onia

l re

serv

ed f

or t

he

Secr

etar

y-G

ener

al o

f the

Uni

ted

Nat

ions

dur

ing

offic

ial v

isits

to S

witz

erla

nd.

2)A

s a g

ener

al ru

le, i

t is t

he p

rero

gativ

e of

the

Hea

d of

the

Fede

ral D

epar

tmen

t of

Fore

ign

Aff

airs

or o

f ano

ther

Fed

eral

Dep

artm

ent t

o se

ttle

ques

tions

rela

ting

to v

isits

by

dire

ctor

-gen

eral

s of i

nter

natio

nal o

rgan

isat

ions

. The

pro

gram

me

of v

isits

is d

raw

n up

by

the

Dep

artm

ent c

once

rned

, in

co-o

pera

tion

with

Pol

itica

l Aff

airs

Div

isio

n II

I of

the

Fede

ral D

epar

tmen

t of F

orei

gn A

ffai

rs, a

nd P

roto

col

n

12

PAR

T 4

Fina

l pro

visi

ons

The

Prot

ocol

Reg

ulat

ions

of 2

May

199

0 ar

e he

reby

revo

ked.

Thes

e R

egul

atio

ns c

ome

into

eff

ect o

n th

e da

te w

hen

they

are

app

rove

d by

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ral

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ncil.

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Documents

Practices of diplomatic protocol in Geneva