The Holy See’s Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations (UN) will be granted diplomatic privileges and immunities when the President signs legislation passed by Congress this weekend, the bill’s author U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) announced today. 

    “The strong relationship between the U.S. and the Holy See is based on a shared commitment to human dignity. As partners in this effort, we have worked together to advance human rights, religious freedom, justice, equality and the rule of law around the globe. Our mutually beneficial relationship will be strengthened by granting diplomatic privileges and immunities to the Holy See’s Permanent Observer Mission to the UN,” said Smith, Chairman of the House International Relations Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations.

    The power to extend diplomatic status to the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the UN was included as a provision in the “Department of State Authorities Act of 2006” (H.R. 6060), a comprehensive bill authored by Smith that grants the State Department a number of new authorities for conducting diplomatic missions overseas. 

    The bill passed both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate in the final hours of the 109^th Congress and has been sent to the White House where it is awaiting the President’s signature. 

    Smith said President Bush is all but certain to sign the bill and that he will push the President to grant diplomatic status to the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See once the new law is enacted. 

    “The U.S. and the Holy See are committed to a common agenda. It is my hope that President Bush seizes on this opportunity to build on our strong relationship by granting the Holy See’s Observer Mission to the UN the same diplomatic privileges and immunities our other allies in the organization enjoy,” said Smith.

    The Holy See serves as the "central government" of the Roman Catholic Church, and as such, has a legal authority that allows it to enter into treaties as the juridical equal of a state and to send and receive diplomatic representatives. The Holy See currently has formal diplomatic relations with 174 nations, including the United States. The territorial identity for the Holy See, the State of Vatican City, is a recognized national territory under international law.

    Through their Permanent Observer Mission, the Holy See is entitled to, among other things, the right to participate in the general debate of the General Assembly; the right of reply; the right to have its communications issued and circulated directly as official documents of the Assembly; and the right to co-sponsor draft resolutions and decisions that make reference to the Holy See. The U.S. served as a host country for the Holy See when it opened its Permanent Mission to the UN in 1964.

    “For over 40 years, the Holy See has served as a Permanent Observer at the United Nations. The Holy See is held in high regard for their diplomatic efforts and much of that respect has been earned through their work at the UN. The U.S. should recognize those efforts by granting diplomatic status to the Holy See’s Observer Mission to the UN,” Smith said.