Ambassador Richard Mills
Deputy U.S. Representative to the United Nations
New York, New York
February 28, 2022
AS DELIVERED
Thank you, Mr. President. I just want to take a quick minute. The status of the 12 diplomats you referred to, I don’t think is really the proper subject for this meeting, especially given the gravity of what we’re here to discuss which is the untold humanitarian suffering in the country of Ukraine.
But since you have raised the issue, I will just assure my colleagues that the step that the United States government informed the Russian mission of today was taken in full accordance with the Headquarters Agreement that we signed with the UN, and that those diplomats that have been asked to leave the United States were engaged in activities that were not in accordance with their responsibilities and obligations as diplomats.
So, under Section 13(b) of the Headquarters Agreement, they have been given a request to depart this country so they do not harm the national security of the host country. And I look forward to taking the issue up where it properly belongs, which is in the Host Country Committee.
Thank you very much.
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