Gib latest - Vienna Convention infringement!

[Herr-Berbunch]

Spanish police have open a diplomatic bag! :o

Britain has formally protested to the Spanish authorities after police opened a diplomatic bag at the border with Gibraltar.


The Foreign Office said diplomatic bags were "inviolable" and opening one was "a serious infringement" of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations.


The incident occurred on Friday as the bag was taken from Gibraltar to Spain.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25100083

[Betonov]

Must have been a pompous diplomat and a rookie eager policeman.

[Jimbuna]

No longer handbags at twenty paces...make that fifteen paces now.

[Admiral Halsey]

I would have checked the bag due to the fact people that were kidnapped have been transported in them before.

[Tribesman]

Spanish police have open a diplomatic bag! :o

And?

The Foreign Office said diplomatic bags were "inviolable" and opening one was "a serious infringement" of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations.

Is Gibraltar covered by the Convention?
If not it cannot be an infringement.
Article 27 covers bags from and to the host states(Spain) British offices and the British Foreign office.
So that's bags between the Court of St. James's in London and the British representative in Spain.

[Platapus]

It will be interesting to read the Spanish Government's side of this story.

But I can't think of any legal justification for opening a declared Diplomatic Bag. :nope:

[Jimbuna]

Gibraltar bag incident: Spain 'promises no repeat', says UK

The Foreign Office says it has received an assurance from Spain there will be no repeat of the bag-opening incident at the centre of a diplomatic row.

UK official baggage was opened by the Spanish Guardia Civil at the Gibraltar border on Friday, prompting a formal protest by the British government.

Spain had said no diplomatic bag was involved.

But UK Europe Minister David Lidington said the FO had now received an explanation from Spanish officials.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25116641

[Tribesman]

So it was a package from the Governor to London
He isn't a diplomat to Spain or anywhere else so his mail isn't covered by the convention