Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 62 Part 2.djvu/319

 62 STAT.] PHILIPPINES-CONSULAR OFFICERS-MAR. 14, 1947 2. The quarters where consular business is conducted, all consular correspondence in transit under official seal, and all papers, records, and correspondence comprising the consular archives shall at all times be inviolable and under no pretext shall any authorities of any character of the country in which such quarters or archives are located invade such premises or make any examination or seizure of papers or other property in such quarters or of such archives. When the con- sular officers are engaged in business within the territories in which they exercise their functions, the consular files and documents shall be kept in a place entirely separate from the place where private or business papers are kept. Consular offices shall not be used as places of asylum. No consular officer shall be required to produce official archives in court or to testify as to their contents. ARTICLE VII 1. Consular officers of either High Contracting Party shall have the light, within their respective consular districts, to apply to or address the authorities, national, state, provincial, or municipal, for the purpose of protecting the nationals of the High Contracting Party by which they were appointed in the enjoyment of rights accruing by treaty or otherwise. Complaint may be made for the infraction of those rights. Failure upon the part of the proper authorities to grant redress or to accord protection shall justify interposition through the diplomatic channel, and in the absence of a diplomatic represent- ative, a consul general or the consular officer stationed at the capital shall have the right to apply directly to the Government of the country. 2. Consular officers of either High Contracting Party shall, within their respective districts, have the right to interview, to communicate with, and to advise nationals of their country; to inquire into any incidents which have occurred affecting the interest of such nationals; and to assist such nationals in proceedings before or relations with authorities in the territories of the other High Contracting Party. Consular officers of either High Contracting Party shall be informed immediately whenever nationals of their country are under detention or arrest or in prison or are awaiting trial in their consular districts and they shall, upon notification to the appropriate authorities, be permitted without delay to visit and communicate with any such national. 3. Nationals of either High Contracting Party in the territories of the other High Contracting Party shall have the right at all times to communicate with the consular officers of their country. Commu- nications to their consular officers from nationals of either High Con- tracting Party who are under detention or arrest or in prison or are awaiting trial in the territories of the other High Contracting Party shall be forwarded without delay to such consular officers by the local authorities. ARTICLE VIII 1. Consular officers in pursuance of the laws of their respective countries shall have the right, within their respective consular dis- tricts: 68706°-51- -PT. II --- 20 1597 Inviolability of of- fices and archives. Protection of na. tionals. Rights within con. sular districts.

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