Opinion piece by Dr Paul Behrens on the 60th Anniversary of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations published in The Scotsman
Fri 23 April 2021
Dr Paul Behrens' article 'Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations: How one treaty united the world and is helping Scotland step onto the international stage' was published in The Scotsman on 23 April 2021.
The article by Dr Paul Behrens, Reader in Law at Edinburgh Law School, deals with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 - an international treaty that defines a framework for diplomatic relations between independent countries, which recently celebrated its 60th anniversary. It reflects on various incidents in diplomatic relations, such as the tragic accident of Harry Dunn after which the driver of the car that hit him, claimed diplomatic immunity and the case of the deposed ambassador of Myanmar who was locked out of his own embassy by his military attaché.
The article also looks at the role of new actors in the diplomatic arena, such as the External Action Service of the EU and the international offices maintained by Scotland in various parts of the world.
"The treaty that governs diplomatic relations, the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, recently celebrated its 60th birthday. When it turned 50, there were not many events to mark the occasion – apart, ahem, from a conference at Edinburgh University – and there is no reason to expect exuberant jollities this time either."