RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE WT/GC/W/72
4December 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-5315)
General Council
INTERNATIONAL LAW AND PRACTICE INRESPECT OF
ACCREDITATION OFREPRESENTATION TOINTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Note bytheSecretariat
1. Thisnotewasprepared andisbeing circulated attherequest oftheChairman oftheGeneral
Council. Itdiscusses international lawandpractice inrespect ofaccreditation ofrepresentatives to
international organizations. Itisorganized asfollows: First, there isananalysis oftheprovisions
oftheVienna Convention ontheRepresentation ofStates intheir Relations with International
Organizations ofaUniversal Character. Second, thesituation oftheWorld Trade Organization is
considered inlightoftheVienna Convention. Third, there isasurvey ofthepractices ofother
international organizations inrespect ofaccreditation.
I. THE VIENNA CONVENTION
2. TheVienna Convention ontheRepresentation ofStates intheirRelations withInternational
Organizations ofaUniversal Character ("Vienna Convention"), concluded in1975, provides asfollows:
"Article 10 Credentials oftheheadofmission
"The credentials oftheheadofmission shallbeissued bytheHead ofState, bythe
Head ofGovernment, bytheMinister forForeign Affairs or,iftherules ofthe
Organization sopermit, byanother competent authority ofthesending Stateandshall
betransmitted totheOrganization".
TheVienna Convention hasnotyetentered intoforce since only30states areparty toit(the
entry intoforce requires 35stateparties, Article 89:1).1Moreover, inorder fortheConvention to
apply totheWTO, itwould needtobeaccepted bySwitzerland astheWTO 'shoststateandtobe
formally implemented bytheWTO itself (Articles 2:1and90).However, some oftheprovisions of
theVienna Convention arearguably partofcustomary international lawand,tothatextent, alsoapply
totherelations between theWTO anditsMembers.
3. According totheVienna Convention, adocument ofaccreditation should thusbeissued by
either:
(a) theHead ofState; or
(b) theHead ofGovernment; or
(c) theMinister forForeign Affairs; or
1Thefollowing 23WTO Members areparties totheVienna Convention: Argentina, Barbados, Brazil,
Cameroon, Chile, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Hungary, Jamaica, Mongolia, Nigeria,
Panama, Peru, Poland, Rwanda, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Tunisia, Turkey andTanzania.WT/GC/W/72
Page2
(d) "another competent authority" ofthesending state, butthisonlyiftherules ofthe
international organization sopermit.
Itshould benoted that,according totheVienna Convention, thisrulenotonlyapplies to
Permanent Representatives butalsotoPermanent Observers (Article 1:17).
4. TheCommentary toArticle 10states thatitisbased onparagraph 1oftheUNGeneral Assembly
resolution 257A(III)onpermanent missions, adopted on3December 1958, which reads:
"...credentials ofthepermanent representatives shallbeissued either bytheHead
ofState orbytheHead ofGovernment orbytheMinister ofForeign Affairs ...".2
Thisruleonaccreditation totheUN,summing upanexhaustive listofpersons whocanissue
credentials, stillstands today3andis,intheabsence ofmore specific rules, arguably partofcustomary
international lawapplicable totheWTO.4
5. Asstressed inthediscussion ofArticle 10oftheVienna Convention intheInternational Law
Commission, thefourth possibility provided under Article 10("or, iftherules oftheOrganization
sopermit, byanother competent authority") "constitutes anexception andadeparture fromthegeneral
rule".5TheCommentary justified thisfourth possibility asfollows:
"Inthecaseofsome specialized agencies thecredentials ofpermanent representatives
mayalsobeissued bythemember ofgovernment responsible forthedepartment which
corresponds tothefieldofcompetence oftheorganization concerned. Forinstance,
credentials toICAO areusually signed bytheMinister forForeign Affairs orthe
Minister ofCommunications orTransport".6
Withrespect tothisfourth possibility, thedrafters hadtwo,somewhat conflicting, concerns:
(1)theywanted tobeflexible andcopewithdifferent types ofinternational organizations andnational
statepractices; (2)theywanted tobestrict inthatonlyauthorities ofthehighest rankwould beallowed
toissuecredentials. Tomeetthefirstconcern, theoriginal language "orbyanother competent minister "
wasreplaced by"orbyanother competent authority ",according totheCommentary, "because a
2Yearbook oftheInternational LawCommission ("YILC"), 1971, Vol. II,PartOne, p.292.
3SeetheUNGuidelines onDiplomatic Courtesy inGeneva, paragraph 2:"Credentials ofPermanent
Representatives areissued either bytheHead ofState orGovernment, orbytheMinister forForeign Affairs
...". SeealsoArticle 27oftherules ofprocedure oftheUNGeneral Assembly.
4Onemember oftheInternational LawCommission noted: "The competence oftheHead ofState, theHead
ofGovernment andtheMinister forForeign Affairs toissue credentials derived solely from international law"
(Comment ondraft convention byMr.Reuter, YILC,1971, Vol. I,p.170).
5Comment ondraft convention byMr.El-Erian (Special Rapporteur), YILC,1971, Vol. I,p.26.
6Op.cit.,p.293. Inthediscussion, reference isalsomade totheILO, UNESCO andWHO: "The ILO,
forexample, would betheconcern oftheMinister ofLabour, WHO thatoftheMinister ofHealth, UNESCO
thatoftheMinister ofEducation andsoon"(Comment ondraft convention byMr.Sette Camara, YILC,1971,
Vol. I,p.25).WT/GC/W/72
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reasonable degree oflatitude appeared desirable inviewofthewidely varying nature ofinternational
organizations andState practice". Hinting atthesecond concern, theCommentary adds: "[t]hus in
someStatescredentialsareissuedbyauthoritieswhichalthoughequivalent,cannotbetermedministers".7
6. Reading thediscussion ofthedraft convention bythemembers oftheInternational Law
Commission, another tension canbedetected: between, ontheonehand, theinternal lawofthesending
state(giving preference tothenational practice within thatstateonwhoissues credentials inthename
ofstatesovereignty andinorder tomake surethattheeventual representative willbindthestatemore
firmly) and,ontheotherhand, international lawandthepractice ofinternational organizations (imposing
restrictions onthediscretion ofstates onhowtonominate theirrepresentatives inorder toprevent
conflicts andtodiscourage anyundue proliferation ofother "authorities" issuing credentials). The
compromisefoundinArticle10wastorestrictissuanceofcredentialstotheHeadofStateorGovernment
orMinister forForeign Affairs (thus imposing international rules restricting thesending state's
discretion), butatthesametimetoallow other "competent authorities" toissuecredentials (increasing
thesending state'sdiscretion) subject, however, toaruleoftheinternational organization concerned
which permits todoso(making suchincrease inthesending state'sdiscretion subject tointernational
practice).
7. Neither under international customary lawnorunder theVienna Convention, doesthereseem
toberoom forcredentials tobeissued bythenewrepresentative him(her)self orbythelocalMission
ofthesending state(unless, ofcourse, theinternational organization concerned would explicitly allow
this). The"other competent authority" provided forinArticle 10onlyseems torefertothemember
ofgovernment (orhighest ranking person) responsible forthesubject matters corresponding tothe
international organization 'scompetence.
8. Inthisrespect, itcould finally benoted thatthegeneral rulethatonlytheHead ofState, the
Head ofGovernment andtheMinister forForeign Affairs havethepower toissue credentials, i.e.,
tobindthesending statewithout having topresent credentials themselves, isreflected inArticle 7of
theVienna Convention ontheLawofTreaties. Paragraph 2ofArticle 7provides asfollows:
"Invirtue oftheirfunctions andwithout having toproduce fullpowers, thefollowing
areconsidered asrepresenting theirState:
"(a) Heads ofState, Heads ofGovernment andMinisters forForeign Affairs, for
thepurpose ofperforming allactsrelating totheconclusion ofatreaty".
II. THE VIENNA CONVENTION APPLIED TOTHE WTO
9. TheWTO isclearly an"international organization ofauniversal character" falling within the
scope oftheVienna Convention. Article 1oftheConvention defines "international organization of
auniversal character" as"theUnited Nations specialized agencies, theInternational Atomic Energy
Agency[IAEA]andanysimilarorganizationwhosemembershipandresponsibilitiesareonaworld-wide
scale". Asof1997, theIAEA had124members. Currently theWTO has132members.
10. Applying Article 10oftheVienna Convention totheWTO (assuming thatthisprovision is
partofinternational customary law), onecould question whether thefourth possibility forissuance
ofcredentials ("or, iftherules oftheOrganization sopermit, byanother competent authority") is
7Ibid.WT/GC/W/72
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available. Inorder forsuchother "competent authority" tobeallowed toissuecredentials, thereneeds
tobea"rule" oftheWTO which sopermits.
11. Atthistimethere isnoexplicit decision oftheGeneral Council sopermitting. However, a
practice hasbeenestablished among GATT/WTO Members that,although mostcredentials (andfull
powers) aresigned byeither theHead ofState orGovernment ortheMinister forForeign Affairs,
alsoother high-ranking officials issue credentials (andfullpowers). Thispractice isinfactessential
fortheWTO since theWTO 'smembership includes separate customs territories thatmaynothave
aHead ofState orGovernment orMinister forForeign Affairs intheusual sense ofthose words.
Moreover, theWTO seems tobeoneofthose organizations withspecific competences thatthedrafters
hadinmind when providing forthefourth possibility under Article 10.Indeed, inlightoftheconcern
oftheGATT/WTO withtrade matters, insome cases other ministers, particularly trade ministers,
issue credentials (andfullpowers). IfthisGATT/WTO "practice" canbeconsidered asa"rule of
theOrganization" itwould seem that,eventhough thegeneral ruleremains thateither theHead of
State orGovernment ortheMinister forForeign Affairs issue credentials, alsoatrade minister (or
any"member ofgovernment responsible forthedepartment which corresponds tothefield of
competence"8oftheWTO) could today (even without anexplicit decision bytheGeneral Council)
issuecredentials totheWTO. Thisinterpretation of"ruleoftheOrganization" toalsoinclude apractice,
wasconfirmed inthecommentary toArticle 3oftheVienna Convention (providing, interalia,that
"anyrelevant rules oftheOrganization" prevail overtheVienna Convention):
"The expression 'relevant rules oftheOrganization 'isbroad enough toinclude all
relevant rules whatever theirnature: constituent instruments, certain decisions and
resolutions oftheorganization concerned orawell-established practice prevailing in
thatorganization "(emphasis added).9
12. Inthisregard, itisnoteworthy thatWTO andGATT practice hasalways required theproduction
offullpowers signed bytheHead ofState, Head ofGovernment, Minister forForeign Affairs orother
similar competent authority (usually trade ministers) inorder foranAmbassador orPermanent
Representative toaccept bysignature aprotocol orother legalinstrument.10Thispractice isinaccord
withArticle 12oftheVienna Convention.11
13. Finally, itshould bereminded thatwithrespect torepresentation totheMinisterial Conference
oftheWTO, theRules ofProcedure forSessions oftheMinisterial Conference provide asfollows:
"Rule 7 Each Member shallberepresented byanaccredited representative.
"Rule 8 Eachrepresentativemaybeaccompaniedbysuchalternatesandadvisers
astherepresentative mayrequire.
8Commentary (toArticle 10),op.cit.,p.293.
9Commentary (toArticle 3),op.cit.,p.288.
10GATT Doc. L/2785 (1May 1967).
11Article 12:2 provides asfollows: "The head ofmission isnotconsidered byvirtue ofhisfunctions as
representing hisState forthepurpose ofsigning atreaty ...between thatState andtheOrganization unless it
appears from thepractice oftheOrganization, orfrom other circumstances, thattheintention oftheparties was
todispense withfullpowers".WT/GC/W/72
Page5
"Rule 9 Thecredentials ofrepresentatives shallbesubmitted totheSecretariat
atleastoneweek before theopening ofthesession. They shalltaketheform ofa
communication fromoronbehalf oftheMinister forForeign Affairs orthecompetent
authority oftheMember authorizing therepresentative toperform onbehalf ofthe
Member thefunctions indicated intheWTO Agreement .TheChairperson after
consulting withtheSecretariat shalldrawattention toanycasewhere arepresentative
hasomitted topresent credentials induetimeandform" (emphasis added).12
III. RULES AND PRACTICE INOTHER INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
14. Inthefollowing description ofthepractices ofotherinternational organizations, theabbreviation
"UNSA" means United Nations Specialized Agency.
15. Conference onDisarmament -Geneva
TheRules ofProcedure oftheConference provide asfollows:
"4. Thedelegation ofamember State oftheConference shallconsist ofahead
ofdelegation andother representatives, advisers, andexperts, asmayberequired.
"5. Eachdelegation shallbeaccredited byaletter ontheauthority oftheMinister
ofForeign Affairs ofthemember State,addressed tothePresident oftheConference".13
16. Food andAgriculture Organization (FAO) -Rome (UNSA)
TheFAO Constitution issilent onthequestion ofaccreditation. TheGeneral Rules ofthe
Organization onlyindirectly address theissuewithrespect tocredentials ofPermanent Representatives
participating intheFAO Conference sessions. Paragraph 2ofRuleIIIstates:
"APermanent Representative totheOrganization doesnotrequire special credentials
ifhisletter ofaccreditation totheOrganization specifies thatheisauthorized to
represent hisgovernment atsessions oftheConference...".
Atitsspecial session heldinNovember 1950, theFAO Conference requested member
governments "toconsider theneedtohaveavailable inRome experts personnel toprovide apermanent
liaison between them andtheHeadquarters ofFAO, andtoserve oncommittees oftheConference
andoftheCouncil, inorder thattheworkofthesecommittees maycontinue tobeofthehighest technical
quality". Atits7thsession heldinNovember-December 1953, theFAOConference adopted Resolution
54/53 entitled "Resident Representatives toFAO", which, interalia,provides that
"Member Nations, which wishtoappoint resident representatives totheOrganization
whoarenotandmaynotbecome members ofdiplomatic missions accredited tothe
Italian Government, consult theDirector General inorder thathemayseektheviews
oftheItalian Government astothenominations".
Inpractice, Permanent Representatives toFAO areeither (1)diplomats selected from the
diplomaticmissionoftheFAOMemberaccreditedtotheItalianGovernment(theAmbassadororanother
12Document WT/L/161, 25July1996, footnote omitted.
13Rules ofProcedure of27June 1996, CD/8/Rev.7 (emphasis added).WT/GC/W/72
Page6
member oftheMission) ordiplomats included insuchmissions; or(2)diplomats accredited onlyto
FAOandheading aspecial mission, thePermanent Representation toFAO. Inthefirstcase,itisonly
oncetheyhavebeenaccredited totheItalian Government andhaveactually submitted theircredentials,
thatthePermanent Representatives canthenbealsoaccredited totheDirector General ofFAO and
submit tohimtheircredentials. Inthesecond case,i.e.when thediplomats areaccredited totheDirector
General ofFAO only, theymaysubmit theircredentials totheDirector General onlywhen, onthe
request ofFAO, theItalian Government hasformally given its"agreement". Bothcategories ofthe
above mentioned diplomats enjoy thesame privileges andimmunities ontheItalian territory.
17. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) -Vienna
TheIAEArequireswrittencredentialsaddressedtotheDirector-GeneraloftheIAEAandsigned
byeither (1)theHead ofState, (2)theHead ofGovernment or(3)theMinister forForeign Affairs.
Credentials signed bytheActing Minister forForeign Affairs areacceptable butnotcredentials signed
bytheDeputy Minister forForeign Affairs. Original credentials arehanded overbytheresident
representative personally totheDirector-General.
18. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) -Montreal (UNSA)
IntheICAO thequestion ofaccreditation isgoverned byRule2oftheRules ofProcedure
oftheCouncil which provides:
"Credentials ofRepresentatives, oftheirAlternates andofObservers shallbesigned
onbehalf oftheState, organization orbody concerned andindicate thecapacity in
which theindividual istoserve, andshallbedeposited withtheSecretary General".14
Inaddition, Rule6(a)oftheStanding Rules ofProcedure oftheAssembly oftheICAO, states
that
"Delegations shall beprovided withcredentials signed onbehalf oftheState or
organization concerned, byaperson dulyauthorized thereto, specifying thename of
eachmember oftheDelegation andindicating thecapacity inwhich heistoserve".15
Inpractice, theICAO hasshown flexibility withrespect towhoshould signletters ofcredentials
onbehalf ofthesending state.
19. International Labour Organization (ILO) -Geneva (UNSA)
There isnoseparate accreditation ofAmbassadors/Permanent Representatives totheILO.
Thepractice isforthem toinform theDirector-General oftheILObyletter thattheyhavedeposited
theircredentials withtheUN. Noother formal action isconsidered necessary. Special rules exist
forrepresentation attheInternational Labour Conference (ILC). Article 26,paragraph 1,oftheStanding
Orders oftheILCreads asfollows:
"Thecredentials ofdelegates andtheiradvisers shallbedeposited withtheInternational
Labour Office atleast15daysbefore thedatefixed fortheopening ofthesession of
theConference".
14ICAO Doc. 7559/5.
15ICAO Doc. 7600/5.WT/GC/W/72
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TheILCthenappoints aCredentials Committee which willconsider anyobjection concerning
thenomination ofanydelegate oradvisor lodged withtheSecretary-General. Special rulesareprovided
ontheadmissibility ofsuchobjections. TheCredentials Committee decides byunanimity onwhether
theobjection iswell-founded. Ifunanimity cannot bereached, thematter isreferred totheConference.
IftheCredentials Committee advises thattheConference should refuse toadmit anydelegate oradvisor,
theConference mayrefuse bytwo-thirds ofthevotes casttoadmit thedelegate oradvisor.16Inpractice,
credentials willbeaccepted ifsigned bytheHead ofState orGovernment, theMinister forForeign
Affairs,theMinisterofLabouroreventhePermanentRepresentativetotheUNandSpecializedAgencies
inGeneva.
20. International Maritime Organization (IMO) -London (UNSA)
On20November1981,theIMOAssemblyadoptedResolutionA.505(XIII)ontheEstablishment
ofPermanent Missions byMember Governments. Annex 2thereto provides asfollows:
"1. Fortheaccreditation ofaPermanent Representative toIMCO themember
Government concerned shallmake known inwriting totheSecretary-General thename
andrankoftheperson designated forthatpurpose.
"2. (a) Where aMember Government wishes toaccredit asPermanent
Representative aperson whoisnotalready orwillnotbeaccredited totheGovernment
oftheUnited Kingdom, itshallinform theSecretary-General ofthename andrank
ofsuchperson before accreditation. TheSecretary-General shallalsobeinformed
iftheperson nominated isacitizen oftheUnited Kingdom andColonies orpermanently
resident intheUnited Kingdom.
(b) TheSecretary-General shallinform thegovernment oftheUnited
Kingdom ofthenomination andthegovernment mayexpress itsviews thereon
totheSecretary-General.
(c) Where theGovernment oftheUnited Kingdom raises anobjection to
aperson sonominated, consultations shalltakeplace between theSecretary-General
andtheGovernment oftheUnited Kingdom.
"3. Thecredentials ofaPermanent Representative mustbeissued either bythe
Head ofState ortheHead ofGovernment ortheMinister forForeign Affairs andbe
addressed totheSecretary-General.
"4. Assoon asaPermanent Representative assumes functions, thePermanent
Mission ordiplomatic mission oftheMember government concerned willconsult the
Office oftheSecretary-General inorder tomake thenecessary arrangements forthe
presentation ofcredentials ofthePermanent Representative totheSecretary-General.
TheSecretary-General willinform theGovernment oftheUnited Kingdom ofthe
presentation ofcredentials assoonaspossible aftersuchpresentation.
"5. FortheaccreditationofothermembersofthePermanentMission,itissufficient
toaddress aletter totheSecretary-General signed bythePermanent Representative,
referring totheinstructions received fromtheGovernment tothiseffect. Inthecase
ofpersons whoarenotorwillnotbeaccredited totheGovernment oftheUnited
16Article 26,paragraphs 3to7.WT/GC/W/72
Page8
Kingdom andpersons whoarecitizens oftheUnited Kingdom andColonies or
permanently resident intheUnited Kingdom, theprocedure described inparagraph
2above shallbefollowed" (emphasis added).
21. International Organization forMigration (IOM) -Geneva
IOMhasnoaccreditation procedure ofitsown. Inpractice, theMission ofthesending state
inGeneva sends aletter totheIOM informing thatthenewAmbassador/Permanent Representative
haspresented credentials totheUNOffice inGeneva. Therefore, eventhough theIOM isformally
notpartoftheUNsystem, accreditation totheUNOffice inGeneva willbesufficient.
22. International Telecommunications Union (ITU) -Geneva (UNSA)
TheAmbassadors orPermanent Representatives accredited totheUNOffice inGeneva are,
dejure,considered asaccredited totheITU. Eachnewaccreditation isnotified totheSecretary-General
oftheITUbytheDirector-General oftheUNOffice inGeneva. With respect torepresentation to
ITUtreaty-making conferences, Article 31oftheConvention oftheITUprovides asfollows:
"324 1. Thedelegation sentbyamember oftheUnion toaPlenipotentiary
Conference, aradiocommunication conference oraworld conference oninternational
telecommunications shallbedulyaccredited inaccordance withNos.325to331below.
"325 2. (1) Accreditation ofdelegations toPlenipotentiary Conferences
shall bebymeans ofinstruments signed bytheHead ofState, bytheHead of
Government orbytheMinister forForeign Affairs .
"326 (2) Accreditation ofdelegations totheother conferences referred
toinNo.324above shallbebymeans ofinstruments signed bytheHead ofState,
bytheHead ofGovernment, bytheMinister forForeign Affairs orbytheMinister
responsible forquestions dealt withduring theconference .
"327 (3) Subject toconfirmation priortothesignature oftheFinalActs,
byoneoftheauthorities mentioned inNos. 325or326above, adelegation maybe
provisionally accredited bytheHead ofthediplomatic mission oftheMember concerned
tothehostgovernment .Inthecaseofaconference heldintheSwiss Confederation,
adelegation mayalsobeprovisionally accredited bytheHead ofthepermanent
delegation oftheMember concerned totheUnited Nations Office atGeneva .
"328 3. Credentials shallbeaccepted iftheyaresigned byoneofthecompetent
authorities mentioned inNos.325to327above, andfulfiloneofthefollowing criteria:
"329 - theyconfer fullpowers onthedelegation;
"330 - theyauthorize thedelegation torepresent itsgovernment, without
restrictions;
"331 - theygivethedelegation, orcertain members thereof, therighttosign
theFinal Acts.
...
"338 9. Credentials andtransfers ofpowers sentbytelegram shall notbe
accepted. Nevertheless, replies sentbytelegram torequests bytheChairman ortheWT/GC/W/72
Page9
secretariat oftheconference forclarification ofcredentials shallbeaccepted" (emphasis
added).
Fortheother conferences andassemblies oftheITU,therulesonaccreditation arelessformal:
"339 10. AMember oranauthorized entity ororganization intending tosend
adelegation orrepresentative toatelecommunication standardization conference, a
telecommunication development conference oraradiocommunication assembly shall
soinform theDirector oftheBureau oftheSector concerned, indicating thenames
andfunctions ofthemembers ofthedelegation oroftherepresentatives".
With regard totheaccreditation ofcouncillors, i.e.,representatives ofthe46member states
constituting theCouncil oftheITU, Rule6oftheRules ofProcedure oftheCouncil provides that
"[t]he person appointed asacouncillor shallbeaccredited byhisadministration byaletter ortelegram
addressed totheSecretary-General".
23. Organization ofEconomic Cooperation andDevelopment (OECD) -Paris
There arenoexplicit guidelines onaccreditation totheOECD. TheOECD hasitsown
Ambassadors/PermanentRepresentativeswhosecredentialsaremostlyissuedbytheMinisterforForeign
Affairs. However, itdoeshappen thatcredentials aresigned byother Ministers.
24. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) -Nairobi (UNProgramme)
Thecountry accrediting aPermanent Representative (who mayalsobeAmbassador toKenya,
butcanalsobelocated inanother country) hastoissuecredentials totheExecutive Director ofUNEP,
signed byeither theHead ofState orGovernment ortheMinister forForeign Affairs.
25. World Health Organization (WHO) -Geneva (UNSA)
There isnoseparate accreditation totheWHO assuch. AnAmbassador/Permanent
Representative isautomatically recognised asrepresenting thecountry concerned ifhe/she isduly
accredited totheUN.However, thereareexplicit rulesonaccreditation totheWorld Health Assembly
(WHA). Rule22oftheRules ofProcedure oftheWHA provides asfollows:
"(a) Each Member, Associate Member andparticipating intergovernmental and
invited non-governmental organization shallcommunicate totheDirector-General, if
possible fifteen daysbefore thedatefixed fortheopening ofthesession oftheHealth
Assembly, thenames ofitsrepresentatives, including allalternates, advisers and
secretaries.
"(b) Thecredentials ofdelegates ofMembers andofrepresentatives ofAssociate
Members shallbedelivered totheDirector-General, ifpossible notlessthanoneday
before theopening ofthesession oftheHealth Assembly. Suchcredentials shallbe
issued bytheHead ofState orbytheMinister forForeign Affairs orbytheMinister
ofHealth orbyanyother appropriate authority "(emphasis added).17
17WHO, Basic Documents ,1996, p.120.WT/GC/W/72
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Under thisruleapractice hasevolved toaccept credentials fromdulyaccredited missions to
theUNascredentials issued by"anyother appropriate authority". Such credentials canbesigned
bytheAmbassador orChargé d'Affaires orbeaNoteVerbale showing thesealoftheMission.
26. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) -Geneva (UNSA)
WIPO doesnothaveaseparate accreditation procedure. Theusual practice isthatincoming
Ambassadors/Permanent Representatives payacourtesy callontheDirector-General ofWIPO, but
noformal stepsordocumentation isinvolved. Withrespect torepresentation attheGeneral Assembly
oranyother bodies ofWIPO, Rule7(4)oftheGeneral Rules ofProcedure provides asfollows:
"Each delegate oralternate shallbeaccredited bythecompetent authority oftheState
which herepresents. TheDirector General shallbenotified oftheappointment of
delegates andalternates inaletter, noteortelegram, issuing preferably from the
Ministry ofForeign Affairs".18
Incaseofadiplomaticconferencepreparingtheadoptionofanewlegalinstrument,aCredentials
Committee issetupwhich examines theacceptability ofcredentials. Inpractice onlytheHead ofState
orGovernment ortheMinister forForeign Affairs oraperson presenting credentials signed bythe
Head ofState orGovernment ortheMinister forForeign Affairs willbefound tohavefullpowers
tosignthelegalinstrument. However, inorder toparticipate insuchdiplomatic conference, aletter
ofaccreditation signed bythelocalMission isinpractice found tobesufficient.
27. World Meteorological Organization (WMO) -Geneva (UNSA)
WMO hasnoaccreditation ofitsownfordiplomatic representatives. However, apeculiar
situation exists inrelation totheWMO. Contrary toother organizations, itsConstitution provides
for"Permanent Representatives". These arethedirectors ofthenational meteorological services who
areexpected toactontechnical matters between sessions oftheWMO Congress which isheldonly
onceevery fouryears. Since most ofthediplomatic representatives inGeneva arealsoaccredited
totheWMO, thatorganization hastwosetsofpermanent representatives.19
18WIPO Publication, No.399(FE) Rev. 3.
19SeeKaufmann, J.,Conference Diplomacy, Anintroductory analysis ,A.W. Sijthoff, Leyden, 1968, p.123.