The Editor
Julian Assange given asylum - Ecuador embassy row
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Written by Green Arrow
Right we have to be quick to get an article out before events overtake us. Julian Paul Assange, the Australian editor and founder of Wikileaks has gone to ground in the Ecuadorean Embassy.
Now it may be that pressure is being put on the British Government by America who are angry with Mr Assange over the fact that he released into the public domain over a quarter of a million diplomatic cables that revealed America's stance and involvement over a wide range of international issues and the American Supreme Court have issued a warrant for his arrest. Australia also has an interest in this case and considered charging Mr Assange with treason.
Now this is where it gets serious. Ecuadorean foreign minister Ricardo Patino has now given Mr Assange politcal asylum and the British Government has in my opinion gone insane and stated that they may well revoke the Diplomatic rights of the Embassy and go in and illegally arrest Mr Assange. This is one of the statements from the United Kingdom government saying they will not recognise the claim for Asylum and the egg man William Hague has now stated that our government "vows to deny Assange" his internationally recognised Asylum rights and will block his exit from our prison Island.
We are aware, and surprised by media reports in the last 24 hours, that Ecuador is about to take a decision and proposes to grant asylum to Mr. Assange. The reports quote official sources. We note that the (Ecuadorean) President (Rafael Correa) has stated that no decision has yet been made.
We are concerned, if true, that this might undermine our efforts to agree a joint text setting out the positions of both countries, allowing Mr. Assange to leave the Embassy.
As we have previously set out, we must meet our legal obligations under the European Arrest Warrant Framework Decision and the Extradition Act 2003, to arrest Mr. Assange and extradite him to Sweden. We remain committed to working with you amicably to resolve this matter. But we must be absolutely clear this means that should we receive a request for safe passage for Mr. Assange, after granting asylum, this would be refused, in line with our legal obligations.
In that light, and given the statements of the last 24 hours, we hope that you are prepared to continue to engage with the ongoing diplomatic discussions. We continue to believe that a solution is possible on the basis of a jointly agreed text, which would accompany Mr. Assange exiting the Embassy, and leading to his extradition.
We will bring you more information as this story develops. There is a live feed to the Ecuadorean Embassy here where crowds are gathering demanding the British Government keeps their hands of Ecuador.
Ecuador had asked Sweden for a guarantee that it would not extradite Assange to the US, were such a request made. But Sweden had said no and in Sweden's response the truth is exposed. Britain Jumping to the wishes of their Master America.
In this story here you can read about the United Kingdom refusing to extradite a dangerous paedophile back to America because it would "breach" his human rights.
