Diplomatic invulnerability
Is the delimma of security versus accessability and discretion
a solvable one? How well, in your
opinion, does the US embassy in Bratislava balance these concerns? What about other embassies here? Should embassies be inviolable by their host
countries, or can exceptions be made in certain circumstances?
The question posed by the author of this article is an interesting one. I remember that once upon a time, when I was a child I saw the American embassy standing on Hviezdoslavovo Námestie for the first time and I laughed. Ten years later I still can’t help but shake my head in wonder when I pass the fortress-like, misfit of a structure with anti-tank defense.
ReplyDeleteNo matter how hard I try, I can’t get rid of my skepticism: what on earth would have to happen for the soldiers to have to use their assault rifles? How likely is it that the 4-metre fences that resemble those around prison will come to use and be needed for keeping out masses of people? I understand that some countries – the US being a great example – take great care in securing their property no matter how unlikely it is that someone will ever want to take it away, but I think that the amount of precautions are downright ridiculous. The optimal solution to the question of security versus discretion is what the embassies such as that of Japan have done in Bratislava. The Japanese embassy is located right in the city center, yet it does not emit a negative aura and the only way in which you can tell it apart from the other buildings is the flag hanging on top of the doors. I don’t see what it is that stops other countries from taking a similar approach.
On the question of the degree to which the host country should have a say in the embassies in its country, I tend to incline to the school of thought that sees an embassy as the unreachable refuge. I don’t think that the country in which the embassy stands should be able to enter it without permission in any circumstances but those of absolute necessity. An embassy is, in a phrase, a home away from home – somewhere where you will always be able to run and hide.