VOLUME 7 SECTION H
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SECTION H
PROTOCOL
RECOGNITION PROBLEMS
The question of the recognition by the United Kingdom of States or of Governments is one of policy, with which this volume is not concerned. The following indications of the attitude to be adopted towards representatives of such States or Governments, and communications from them, are intended for the general guidance of Her Majesty's Representatives and to assist them in avoiding the pitfall of implied or involuntary recognition of a régime contrary to the policy of Her Majesty's Government.
1.
Attitude towards Representatives
(1) British representatives may be brought into contact at certain capitals or at conferences either with representatives of States with which Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom do not currently maintain diplomatic relations (e.g., Albania); with representatives of administrations whose existence is acknowledged by Her Majesty's Government but which they do not officially recog- nise (e.g., Democratic Republic of Viet-Nam and the Korean People's Republic), or with representatives of States whose existence is not recognised by Her Majesty's Government at all (e.g., the German Democratic Republic).
(2) British Representatives will naturally refrain from taking any initiative in the direction of establishing official relations with representatives in any of these categories, either by exchanging calls or otherwise. Any informal advances made to British Represen- tatives by such persons should be met with the minimum response required by ordinary standards of social usage.
(3) If invited by the Government of the country in which he resides to attend an official function organised specifically in honour of a representative in any of the categories mentioned, the British Representative should decline the invitation.
(4) Invitations to official functions of a more general kind need not be declined merely because it is suspected that representatives of States or Governments not recognised by the British Government may be among the company present. Indeed, it
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