Global Geopolitical Series: Russia says U.S. abusing its rights as UN host country

On March 4th, Skripal and his daughter Yulia were rushed to a hospital after they were found unconscious at a park in Salisbury. It was later reported that the father and daughter had come into contact with an obscure nerve agent. UK government officials said the Skripals were attacked by "Novichok," a powerful Soviet-era chemical nerve agent used by the military. Though the British government did not provide evidence that linked Russia to the crime and refused provide a sample of the substance to the Russian government but was confident from the beginning that there could be no other reasonable explanation for the attempted assassination other than Russia’s involvement since the nerve agent was first manufactured in the former Soviet Union. Skripal, a former Russian spy worked as a double agent for the United Kingdom until his capture in 2006. He was able to settle in the UK as a part of spy exchange program. The UK expelled 23 Russian diplomats over the poisoning allegation.

As Washington swiftly moved in showing consolidation with the United Kingdom over Sergei Skripal poisoning case by expelling 60 Russian diplomats including 12 diplomats working at the United Nations’ headquarter in New York, Russia accused the United States of abusing its right as a host country to the UN. Russia’s UN envoy called the move as an extremely unfriendly step. He added, “The expulsion of Russian diplomats as well as other recent unfriendly steps, such as restriction of access to Russian diplomatic property, visa denials to mission staff and other [meaures], can be viewed as the US abusing its rights and privileges as the hosting country.” Mr. Nebanzia pointed to the fact that the status of the staff at the permanent representations of the countries at the United Nations are regulated by UN conventions, namely the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations of 1946 and the Agreement Between the United Nations and the US Regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations, signed in 1947. In a statement on the expulsion of the 12 Russian diplomats, U.S. ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley said that these diplomats were involved in espionage activities which are adverse to the national security of the United States. Mr. Nebanzia, denying the allegations said, “The employees of Russia’s mission at the UN present their credentials to the UN and perform their functions exclusively within the UN” and pointed to the fact that it was the responsibility of the United States as the host country to preserve the privileges and immunity of the staff of the UN member countries, as well as the employees at the UN administrative bodies.