Law-ref.org Vienna Convention on Consular Relations
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ARTICLE-1: DEFINITIONS     [go to this ARTICLE]
... (k) "consular archives" includes all the papers, documents, correspondence, books, films, tapes and registers of the consular post, together with the ciphers and codes, the card-indexes and any article of furniture intended for their protection or safekeeping. ...


ARTICLE-5: CONSULAR FUNCTIONS     [go to this ARTICLE]
... (a) protecting in the receiving State the interests of the sending State and of its nationals, both individuals and bodies corporate, within the limits permitted by international law; ...


ARTICLE-15: TEMPORARY EXERCISE OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE HEAD OF A CONSULAR POST     [go to this ARTICLE]
... 3. The competent authorities of the receiving State shall afford assistance and protection to the acting head of post. While he is in charge of the post, the provisions of the present Convention shall apply to him on the same basis as to the head of the consular post concerned. The receiving State shall not, however, be obliged to grant to an acting head of post any facility, privilege or immunity which the head of the consular post enjoys only subject to conditions not fulfilled by the acting head of post. ...


ARTICLE-27: PROTECTION OF CONSULAR PREMISES AND ARCHIVES AND OF THE INTERESTS OF THE SENDING STATE IN EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES     [go to this ARTICLE]
... PROTECTION OF CONSULAR PREMISES AND ARCHIVES AND OF THE INTERESTS OF THE SENDING STATE IN EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES ...
... (a) the receiving State shall, even in case of armed conflict, respect and protect the consular premises, together with the property of the consular post and the consular archives; ...
... (c) the sending State may entrust the protection of its interests and those of its nationals to a third State acceptable to the receiving State. ...


ARTICLE-31: INVIOLABILITY OF THE CONSULAR PREMISES     [go to this ARTICLE]
... 2. The authorities of the receiving State shall not enter that part of the consular premises which is used exclusively for the purpose of the work of the consular post except with the consent of the head of the consular post or of his designee or of the head of the diplomatic mission of the sending State. The consent of the head of the consular post may, however, be assumed in case of fire or other disaster requiring prompt protective action. ...
... 3. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 2 of this Article, the receiving State is under a special duty to take all appropriate steps to protect the consular premises against any intrusion or damage and to prevent any disturbance of the peace of the consular post or impairment of its dignity. ...


ARTICLE-35: FREEDOM OF COMMUNICATION     [go to this ARTICLE]
... 1. The receiving State shall permit and protect freedom of communication on the part of the consular post for all official purposes. In communicating with the Government, the diplomatic missions and other consular posts, wherever situated, of the sending State, the consular post may employ all appropriate means, including diplomatic or consular couriers, diplomatic or consular bags and messages in code or cipher. However, the consular post may install and use a wireless transmitter only with the consent of the receiving State. ...
... 5. The consular courier shall be provided with an official document indicating his status and the number of packages constituting the consular bag. Except with the consent of the receiving State he shall be neither a national of the receiving State, nor, unless he is a national of the sending State, a permanent resident of the receiving State. In the performance of his functions he shall be protected by the receiving State. He shall enjoy personal inviolability and shall not be liable to any form of arrest or detention. ...


ARTICLE-40: PROTECTION OF CONSULAR OFFICERS     [go to this ARTICLE]
... PROTECTION OF CONSULAR OFFICERS ...


ARTICLE-54: OBLIGATIONS OF THIRD STATES     [go to this ARTICLE]
... 3. Third States shall accord to official correspondence and to other official communications in transit, including messages in code or cipher, the same freedom and protection as the receiving State is bound to accord under the present Convention. They shall accord to consular couriers who have been granted a visa, if a visa was necessary, and to consular bags in transit, the same inviolability and protection as the receiving State is bound to accord under the present Convention. ...
... 3. Third States shall accord to official correspondence and to other official communications in transit, including messages in code or cipher, the same freedom and protection as the receiving State is bound to accord under the present Convention. They shall accord to consular couriers who have been granted a visa, if a visa was necessary, and to consular bags in transit, the same inviolability and protection as the receiving State is bound to accord under the present Convention. ...


ARTICLE-59: PROTECTION OF THE CONSULAR PREMISES     [go to this ARTICLE]
... PROTECTION OF THE CONSULAR PREMISES ...
... The receiving State shall take such steps as may be necessary to protect the consular premises of a consular post headed by an honorary consular officer against any intrusion or damage and to prevent any disturbance of the peace of the consular post or impairment of its dignity. ...


ARTICLE-64: PROTECTION OF HONORARY CONSULAR OFFICERS     [go to this ARTICLE]
... PROTECTION OF HONORARY CONSULAR OFFICERS ...
... The receiving State is under a duty to accord to an honorary consular officer such protection as may be required by reason of his official position. ...