LAHORE, March 7: The US government firmly believes that Raymond Davis, currently being tried in jail for allegedly killing two youths in Lahore on Jan 27, has full-fledged diplomatic immunity under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (VCDR)-1961.

“As the US government believes immunity issue of Raymond Davis is a matter of international laws, the government of Pakistan should honour these laws by granting him immunity under VCDR-1961,” US embassy spokesman Mr Alberto Rodriguez told this reporter by phone on Monday while responding to some queries.

He said the since Pakistan did not raise any objection in the past about Raymond Davis status, “we understand he enjoys immunity under the said convention. Had Pakistan objected to Davis’s diplomatic status, it would have expelled him last year,” Mr Rodriguez maintained.

He further said the US government was also of the view that foreign diplomats sent by any state to any country enjoyed diplomatic privileges and immunity automatically under the VCDR. “Look Pakistan has signed and recognized the VCDR and it should follow it by giving immunity to Davis,” he said.

While responding to a query that what would be America’s reaction if Pakistan’s ambassador or any diplomat committed same crime in US as Davis did in Pakistan, Alberto said: “Had your ambassador or diplomat committed killing of US citizens in our country, the US government would have given immunity to the accused diplomat in the light of international laws instead of initiating criminal prosecution in courts against him/her,”

When asked about the US reaction in case Pakistan formally refused to give immunity to Raymond Davis, he said the US government would mind this step if taken. He said the US government was working on several mass-development projects in Pakistan and wanted to accomplish them.

Responding to another question, he said that America still believed that Pakistan would surely give immunity to Davis soon. “We also trust in Pakistan courts and seek justice from the Lahore High Court that is hearing some petitions relating to Davis’s immunity issue,” he said.

Mr Rodriguez confirmed that two legal advisers belonging to US department of Justice -- namely Bruce Sward and Robert Hollis -- who had arrived in Pakistan some days ago, had returned home on March 6 after meeting Davis at Kot Lakhpat jail and the US Embassy officials concerned.

“The purpose of their arrival in Pakistan was not to work on Davis’s case in Pakistan as they had just visited Pakistan to get information about it only and nothing more,” he said, adding that he had no information about tentative submission of a report to US department of justice in near future by the said legal experts.