The administrative look after the premises of the embassy,its installations, and its equipment. They see to it that oversee ties are well maintained. They have a special obligation to the procurement, maintenance, and obligation to oversee theprocurement, and operation of duty cars. The administrative section also manages the embassy's budget. It pays the embassy's bills and does the bookkeeping. It is also responsible for matters pertaining to the staff. Newly arrived staff members have to be integrated into the embassy's team. They need accommodation and advice on questions of health or schooling. In addition, leave has to be approved and temporary replacements organized. Local staff members have to be hired and sometimes fired .Finally, the administrative section is responsible for the embassy's communications. It manages the embassy's correspondence, archives, cable room, and incoming and incoming and outgoing pouches.
When performing its duties, the administrative section has to comply with the many special regulations that have been laid down by its home government. These regulations differ from sending country to sending country. Particularly important are the regulations concerning the security of classified material. These regulations are uniform for all branches of government, but are of special interest for embassies because embassies handle a substantial amount of official information that needs protection. Most countries consider their security regulations as restricted and do not publicize them. The govermment of New Zealand has, however, presented its manual "Security in the Government Sector" on the web. This manual gives insight into the possible ways to protect offcial information. Therefore, it is used an example in the following.
Information that needs protection is contained in hard copy, electronic form, and equipment. The protected material handled by embassies consists mostly of instructions, reports, and code mnterial. An information's contents determine whether it is classifwd the grade of classification depends on the estimated danger that disclosure would bring to bear on tbe country's security, defense or international relations.lf the compromise of information would damage the natioual interests in an exceptionally grave manner.