Georgian Parliament official accuses German Ambassador of ignoring Vienna Convention obligations

Archil Gorduladze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee, on Wednesday responded to German Ambassador Peter Fischer’s recent interview, accusing him of selectively quoting the Vienna Convention and acting beyond diplomatic boundaries.

In his remarks, Gorduladze argued that Fischer referred only to the part of the Vienna Convention that allows ambassadors to collect information, while ignoring provisions that require cooperation and communication with a host country’s authorities.

“He refers to subparagraph D, which states that an ambassador is authorised to collect information, but before getting to subparagraph D, there is subparagraph C, which clearly states that he is obliged to have communication and consultations with the incumbent authorities, as well as to cooperate with them”, he said.

The official went on to say that Fischer likely omitted Article 41 of the Convention, which outlined the obligation of diplomats to respect the sovereignty of the host state and refrain from interfering in its internal affairs.

Gorduladze urged Fischer, who was nearing the end of his tenure, to familiarise himself with the full text of the Vienna Convention rather than selectively citing provisions that suit his narrative.

“This person should remember what the Vienna Convention is, but we know that he is completing his diplomatic career and, unfortunately, he does not refrain from taking undiplomatic steps”, Gorduladze concluded.

German Ambassador Peter Fischer recently stated that he had not violated the Vienna Convention and had not interfered in Georgia’s internal affairs.

Fischer also mentioned that he was asked to provide clarification not by the German Government but within Georgia, though without specifying the source of the request.