Presentation of credentials by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

At the agreed time, the representative of Diplomatic Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs arrives at the residence or official premises of the diplomatic mission or a hotel. The Head of Diplomatic Mission and the representative of Diplomatic Protocol leave the residence, official premises of the diplomatic mission or a hotel for the Residence of the President in an official vehicle, flying two flags along a pre-determined route and with police escort. The Head of Diplomatic Mission may be accompanied by not more than three members of his/her retinue, who are conveyed in a vehicle provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As a rule, the Head of Diplomatic Mission may be accompanied by members of the diplomatic staff of the Embassy or by close family members, and only exceptionally by other persons.

The Embassy must notify the Diplomatic Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in advance of the names and titles of persons accompanying the Head of Diplomatic Mission/members of the retinue. Diplomatic Protocol has the right to express reservations regarding individual members of the retinue if they are not members of the diplomatic staff of the Embassy.

The motorcade on the occasion of the presentation of credentials is as follows:

1. police car,

2. main car conveying the Head of Diplomatic Mission and the representative of Diplomatic Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ,

3. additional car for Head's of Diplomatic Mission retinue.

Before the ceremony, the vehicle stops in front of the main entrance to the Residence of the President, where he meets the Chief of Diplomatic protocol. The flag and the flag of the sending state are displayed above the main entrance. The Unit of Honor of Army shall be lined up along right side of the red carpet laid in front of the entrance to the Residence of the President. The Ambassador is greeted by the Chief of the Unit of Honor with an honorary salute. He/she accompanied by Chief of protocol inspects the Unit of Honour, salutes the flag with a slight bow and proceeds on the carpet towards the entrance to the Residence of the President. Before the entrance to the Residence, the Head of Diplomatic Mission is welcomed and greeted by the Head of the State Protocol or his deputy. With the Head of the State Protocol or his deputy on his/her left and the Head of Diplomatic Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on his/her right, the Head of Diplomatic Mission enters the Salon the Residence. The members of the Head's of Diplomatic Mission retinue follow a few paces behind them.

The Head of Diplomatic Mission proceeds to the place of honor, to which he/she is conducted by the Head of the State Protocol of Montenegro (the Head of Diplomatic Protocol steps to the Head's of Diplomatic Mission right). Members of the Head's of Diplomatic Mission retinue stand behind him/her (see the sketch) according to the order of precedence from left to right (seen from the front). The President enters the Grand Hall from the opposite side and proceeds to the designated place facing the Ambassador. Other representatives (as a rule: Minister of Foreign Affairs) stand on the left behind him/her (see the sketch).

The Head of the State Protocol introduces the Ambassador to the President by pronouncing his/her title, personal name, and full name of the sending state in a loud voice.

Immediately after the announcement by the Head of the State Protocol o, the Head of Diplomatic Mission addresses the President as follows:

"Your Excellency, (option: Mr President), please allow me to present to you the credentials of "full address and name of the head of the sending state".

Then he/she approaches the President and formally (with both hands) presents to him the Letter of Credence and the Letter of Recall of his/her predecessor. The President formally accepts the letters and shakes hands with the Head of Diplomatic Mission. On this occasion, a short photo session is envisaged. The Head of Diplomatic Mission introduces members of his/her retinue to the President and to his/her retinue. After the introductions have been made, the President invites the Ambassador and members of his/her retinue to a talk in the Small saloon. The talk usually takes 15 minutes. After the end of the talk, the Head of Diplomatic Mission and his/her retinue take leave of the President and proceed, accompanied by the Head of State Protocol and the Head of Diplomatic Protocol, to the main exit of the Residence of the President.

After leaving the Residence, the Head of Mission accompanied by Chief of Protocol inspects the Unit of Honor which is on his/her left side and leaves and salutes the flag by a slight bow. Immediately afterwards, he/she enters the official vehicle, which now flies the flag of the sending state on the right side and the flag of the state on the left. Accompanied by the representative of the Protocol, the Head of Diplomatic Mission is conveyed back to the residence, official premises of the diplomatic mission or a hotel along a predetermined route.

Presentation of the letter of introduction by a Charge d'Affaires en titre

A Charge d'Affaires en titre is accredited to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the receiving state (Article 14 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations). A Charge d' Affaires en titre presents the cabinet letter (letter of introduction) to the Minister of Foreign Affairs or to his/her deputy.

Date: 2015-12-18; view: 991