Conventions on Diplomatic Asylum and OAS Permanent Council Meeting

Conventions on Diplomatic Asylum and OAS Permanent Council Meeting

Taken Question Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC

August 17, 2012

Question:  Does the United States recognize the concept of diplomatic asylum beyond its Organization of American States (OAS) commitment? What is the U.S. position on the OAS Permanent Council meeting to consider convening a Foreign Ministers meeting on the situation between Ecuador and the United Kingdom?

Answer:  The United States is not a party to the 1954 OAS Convention on Diplomatic Asylum and does not recognize the concept of diplomatic asylum as a matter of international law.

We believe this is a bilateral issue between Ecuador and the United Kingdom and that the OAS has no role to play in this matter.