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The diplomatic entity which permanently represents a sending state in a receiving state. However, some or all of a mission\'s members may be resident outside the receiving state. It is normal for missions to be established in the city from which the state is governed, and some receiving states insist on it. Thus the Netherlands requires that diplomatic missions be in The Hague, which is the seat of government, rather than in Amsterdam, the capital. Of the members of a diplomatic mission, only the diplomatic staff enjoy diplomatic status. Unless specific agreement has been reached to the contrary, the receiving state may require that the size of a mission be kept within limits which it deems reasonable and normal. This is particularly likely to happen where a mission is believed to have been involved in espionage or terrorism. Of course, such a requirement is likely to lead to reciprocal action by the sending state.
Permanent missions to an international organization and special missions are also diplomatic missions, in the sense that they are engaged on diplomatic tasks and are largely staffed by diplomats. But official diplomatic language (sense 2) tends not to refer to them as diplomatic missions. There is reason for that, as the legal regimes which apply to them differ from that which applies to missions accredited to foreign states, and their roles are also somewhat different. Accordingly, in this Dictionary, the term diplomatic mission is applied only to a mission accredited to a foreign state. Permanent and special missions are referred to as such. See also chancery; resident mission; non-resident mission; multiple accreditation. |
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