[JURIST] The United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office [official website] announced in a press release Monday that it was expelling two diplomats attached to the Iraqi Interests section of the Jordanian Embassy in London, pursuant to the terms of Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations:

The Foreign Office has today decided that the Head of the Iraqi Interests Section in the Embassy of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is persona non grata and the Administrative Attache of the Iraqi Interests Section is not acceptable as a member of the Embassy. The Ambassador of Jordan has been informed of this decision and asked to arrange for the departure of the two Iraqi diplomats within five working days.

Notes for Editors

1. This decision has been taken in accordance with Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

2. Text of Article 9:

A. The receiving State may, at any time and without having to explain its decision, notifiy the sending State that the head of the mission or any member of the diplomatic staff of the mission is persona non grata or that any other member of the staff of the mission is not acceptable. In any such case, the sending State shall, as appropriate, either recall the person concerned or terminate his functions with the mission…

B. If the sending State refuses or fails within a reasonable period to carry out its obligations under paragraph 1 of this Article, the receiving State, may refuse to recognise the person concerned as a member of the mission.