The Abuse of Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities

The main focus of this book is the problem of the abuse of diplomatic privileges and immunities. It is a problem which is comparatively small but one which has grabbed more than its fair share of headlines in recent years, most noticeably in the aftermath of the shooting of WPC Fletcher in St James' Square in 1984. Similar, if less dramatic, incidents of abuse of diplomatic privileges and immunities throughout the world in recent years have led to a number of attempts, both national and international, aimed at dealing with the problem of abuse.Dr Barker examines the problem of abuse and traces the development of the law of diplomatic privileges and immunities with a view to identifying why privileges and immunities are granted. He examines the law as it stands and analyses some of the more acceptable recent proposals for amending the law. Finally, Dr Barker considers the question of whether abuse of diplomatic privileges and immunities is a necessary evil.