Ministry of Foreign Affairs answers the pretensions of honorary consuls.
GHN offers the statement without changes:
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is carefully watching for the statements of honorary consuls in Georgia that is connected to the protocol regulations.
For the purpose to avoid additional interpretations and to inform the society we considered as appropriate to explain several important details connected to this subject.
"Manual of Diplomatic Protocol" is a document that combines protocol rules and regulations connected to the activity of person with diplomatic mission in Georgia.
The document created by us is fully based on conventions of 1961 and 1963 of Vienna. Accordingly "Manual of Diplomatic Protocol" confers those privileges and immunities to honorary consuls that are due to the Vienna convention of 1963, April 24 about consulate relations.
It must be marked that consuls were using the same privileges as career diplomats, and it was out of frame of the 3rd chapter of Vienna convention of 1963 April 24 about consulate relations, that is dedicated to honorary consuls. Accordingly in separate cases the legislation of Georgia was violated. We want to mark uniquely that the document created by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia doesn't limit the rights of the persons that have status of honorary consul in Georgia and on the contrary support in realization of the activity that is under their competency. Also it regulates many technical issues that are connected to their rights. Ministry of Foreign Affairs brings these issues in compliance with international legal norms and local legislation and considers that honorary consuls that act in Georgia will have all the conditions to provide their activity according to international and local norms and to support development of relations between separate countries of the world and Georgia," there is said in the statement.