Diplomatic tension as Britain threaten Ecuador over Assange extradition to Sweden

Thursday, 16 August 2012
Since last night, the British media has been reporting that the British authorities, according to Ecuador's foreign minister are threatening to storm the South American country's embassy in London, where the founder of Wikileaks, Julian Assange is hiding and seeking political asylum

Britain claim that there is a law which the UK has informed Ecuador of that could use - the Diplomatic and Consular Premises Act 1987. This give them the power to recall the diplomatic privileges of the Ecuadorian authorities and then entre the compound and seize the Wikileaks founder.

Should such a thing happens, then Britain is exposing itself to more danger as the sacrifice of Julian Assange to Sweden and possibly to the US will mean that rouge  states and places where Britain is not liked will also applies similar laws and flatten British interest around the world.
The worse is that British will not be able to be supported or protected by any one.
Already at this hour, there is high level of protest  in front of the Ecuadorian embassy in Knightsbridge, in London  - with supporter of Mr Assange protesting with the police already reported to have arrested three people, it looks like the two countries are coming to a stand off.
 
"Today we received from the United Kingdom an express threat, in writing, that they might storm our embassy in London if we don't hand over Julian Assange," said Foreign Minister, Ricardo Patino according to the BBC. "Ecuador rejects in the most emphatic terms the explicit threat of the British official communication," he adds

The British Foreign Office has commented that they are determined to extradite Mr Assange to Sweden. Demonstrators, some wearing masks, were seen being hauled away by police who were in massed ranks outside the building in central London. The Ecuadorian government is expected to announce this lunchtime whether the Wikileaks founder is being granted asylum, reports the London talk radio station, London Biggest Conversation.

Mr Assange, 41, took refuge in the building in June to avoid extradition to Sweden where he faces questioning over allegations of sexual assault. His fear is that his extradition to Sweden is a smoke screen to ship him to the American who want him for circulating embarrassing diplomatic cables leaks on the internet recently. Sweden however has not made it clear that its interest is only to question Mr Assange on the rape claims. Should Sweden did that the   public support would be for  Mr Assange to go to Sweden.

As such a bitter diplomatic row has erupted over the case after Ecuador accused the UK government of threatening to enter its London embassy to arrest the Australian.
This is seen as violation of international law where diplomatic posts are considered the territory of the foreign nation. But the British Foreign Office says it is allowed to revoke this status if is being abused.

"Our legal position is not changing at all. Our position is that we have a duty to extradite him, even if he is granted political asylum," a Foreign Office spokesman said, according to Sky News
by Scancomark.se Team