The Central Treaty Organization (Immunities and Privileges) Order 1974

Representatives

15.—(1) Except in so far as in any particular case any privilege or immunity is waived by the State which he represents, any representative of a Contracting State to the Council of the Organization or to any committee or other subsidiary body of the Organization (other than a representative to whom Article 14 applies) shall, while present in the United Kingdom for the discharge of his duties, enjoy:—

(a) immunity from suit and legal process in respect of things done or omitted to be done by him in his official capacity;

(b) the like immunity from personal arrest or detention and from seizure of his personal baggage and the like inviolability for all papers and documents as are accorded to a diplomatic agent;

(c) the like exemptions and privileges in respect of his personal baggage as in accordance with Article 36 of the 1961 Convention Articles are accorded to a diplomatic agent;

(d) the like exemption from customs duties and taxes on the importation of articles which—

(i) at or about the time when he first enters the United Kingdom to take up his post as a representative are imported for his personal use or that of members of his family forming part of his household, including articles intended for his establishment, and

(ii) are articles which were in his ownership or possession or that of such a member of his family, or which he or such a member of his family was under contract to purchase, immediately before he so entered the United Kingdom,

as in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article 36 of the 1961 Convention Articles is accorded to a diplomatic agent.

(2) Where the incidence of any form of taxation depends upon residence, a representative shall not be deemed to be resident in the United Kingdom during any period when he is present in the United Kingdom for the discharge of his duties.

(3) Part IV of Schedule 1 to the Act shall not operate so as to confer any privilege or immunity on:—

(a) the official staff of representatives, other than alternate representatives, advisers, technical experts and official clerical staff, and that Part shall not operate so as to confer on official clerical staff any immunity from personal arrest or detention or any exemptions or privileges in respect of their personal baggage, or

(b) the family of a representative or of a member of the official staff of a representative.

(4) Neither this Article nor Part IV of Schedule 1 to the Act shall operate so as to confer any privilege or immunity on any person as the representative of the United Kingdom or on any person who is a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies.