Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, said diplomatic missions in the UAE must respect the laws and regulations of the nation and they must not interfere in our internal affairs.

Shaikh Abdullah quoted article 41 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations which states that without prejudice to the diplomatic missions’ privileges and immunities, it is the duty of all persons enjoying such privileges and immunities to respect the laws and regulations of the receiving State. They also have a duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of that state.

“All official business with the receiving state entrusted to the mission by the sending state shall

be conducted with or through the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the receiving state or such other

ministry as may be agreed. The premises of the mission must not be used in any manner incompatible with the functions of the mission as laid down in the Convention or by other rules of general international law or by any special agreements in force between the sending and the receiving state, “Shaikh Abdullah told the Federal National Council.

Any such business outside this framework of the Convention, mandates that the Foreign Ministry summons the diplomats involved to bring to their attention any violations, Shaikh Abdullah said.

The Foreign Minister was answering a question by Hamad Al Rahoumi, a member from Dubai, on certain embassies breach of international laws when they set minimum wages for housemaids.

Shaikh Abdullah cited such a violation when the Philippines embassy contacted certain labour recruitment agencies and set certain rules.

“No doubt, the Government of the Philippines has a right to set its rules, but in their country as it has no right to transgress on the UAE’s sovereignty. Any such illegal contacts under any justification – be they human rights, human trafficking or labour rights – involving infringement on the country’s sovereignty are not accepted,’ Shaikh Abdullah said.

Shaikh Abdullah said diplomatic missions may gather published information, which is allowed. “But any gathering of intelligence and espionage is an infringement on the national sovereignty and will not be tolerated by the Foreign Ministry.”

He urged various institutions in the country to report any encroachment on the UAE’s sovereignty, and said that any embassy or diplomat found guilty of committing any such transgress would be taken to task.

Al Rahoumi asked whether contracts signed with domestic helpers under the supervision of the Philippines embassy in the UAE were binding on the parties involved, Shaikh Abdullah said the question should be put to the Ministry of Interior.

The representative complained that all of a sudden the Philippine embassy set maid wages which are almost double the amount mentioned in their previous contracts.

Shaikh Abdullah advised citizens to bring in labour from the country they like best, which their terms suit them best.