Unasur calls for dialogue to solve the controversy between Ecuador and the UK
The Union of South American Nations (Unasur) called for dialogue to solve the crisis between Ecuador and Great Britain regarding the diplomatic asylum granted by the Andean country to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who is holed in at the embassy in London.
Foreign ministers of the bloc, meeting on Sunday in Guayaquil, expressed their “solidarity and support to Ecuador” and urged both countries “to keep talks in order to find a mutually acceptable solution”, according to a document read by Unasur Secretary General Alí Rodríguez.
The ministers declared their solidarity and support to Ecuador’s government as it faces the threat of the violation of its diplomatic venue in London, and reiterated Ecuador’s sovereign right to grant asylum.
Likewise, they blasted the threat of use of force between states and recalled ”the principle of international law, by which the UK cannot hold to domestic law in order not to abide by an obligation of international law”.
Foreign Ministers of Ecuador (Ricardo Patiño), Venezuela (Nicolás Maduro), Colombia (María Angela Holguín), Uruguay (Luis Almagro), Peru (Rafael Rocagliolo) and Argentina (Héctor Timerman) took part of the meeting.
On Saturday ministers from ALBA, (Bolivarian alliance of our Americas) met in Guayaquil convened by Ecuador with the purpose of addressing the diplomatic dispute and alleged British threat of breaking into the embassy to arrest Assange.
ALBA is a regional alliance created by Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez and includes Cuba, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Dominica, Ecuador, St Vincent and Grenadines, and Antigua and Barbuda. All members had anticipated the solidarity and support for Ecuador following the UK’s threat of raiding the Ecuadorean embassy in London to arrest Assange.
Last Thursday ALBA in an official communiqué blasted “UK threats against the integrity of the Ecuadorean embassy in London”, adding their full solidarity with Ecuador and warning of “the serious consequences that the execution of the threat would have for relations with ALBA countries”.
However Foreign Secretary William Hague on Friday denied “any threats to take the (Ecuadorean) embassy by assault”. The Foreign Office later said that they were interested in working with the Ecuadoreans “to resolve the issue in a friendly manner”.
Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa said Assange can remain in the embassy in London indefinitely, following the UK decision to deny him a safe-conduct.
“The problem is that the UK wont’ grant a safe-conduct and Mr. Assange could have to spend time indefinitely in our embassy”, said Correa during a visit to the south of Ecuador.
In its final release ALBA members said they reject “the intimidating threats” from British spoke-persons because they “violate the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations and the principles of International Law”.
It also condemned the UK position of “pretending to solve in a manner contrary to International Law controversies with the nations from the world, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Finally ALBA called on all governments of the world, social movements, intellectuals and academia “to oppose this new pretension from the UK government to impose its will by force to the sovereign nations of the world”.
On Friday the Organization of American States voted to convene Foreign ministers on Friday 24 in Washington to discuss the diplomatic controversy between Ecuador and the UK, specifically the inviolability of embassy and consular premised according to the international law and the Vienna convention.
Suggested Stories
-
May 23rd 2013
Cristina Fernandez administration limits overseas dollar extractions to a minimum
-
May 20th 2013
Brazil trapped by Argentina and Venezuela economic mismanagements
-
May 17th 2013
Uruguay’s José Mujica lauds booming Brazil ties
-
May 22nd 2013
Uruguay joins the women’s presidential club: Mujica flies to China and Astori to Colombia
78 comments Feed
Note: Comments do not reflect MercoPress’ opinions. They are the personal view of our users. We wish to keep this as open and unregulated as possible. However, rude or foul language, discriminative comments (based on ethnicity, religion, gender, nationality, sexual orientation or the sort), spamming or any other offensive or inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated. Please report any inadequate posts to the editor. Comments must be in English. Thank you.
Nice to know that Ecuador is happy to shelter an alleged sex offender who has broken conditions of his bail. Bit of a reputation of sheltering undesirables down that way!
Under UK law he has to be arrested for breaching his bail conditions and be passed to the Swedish as per international law for his trial.
This is truly shameful behavior by Ecuador harboring a person wanted by both the UK (for breach of bail conditions) and Sweden for potentially rape charges.
Aug 20th, 2012 - 09:08 am
The EU will step up when there is something to step up about. Your tiny sycophantic Malvinista brain is reading more into this than there is. Go back to your dressing up.
The EU has already stepped up, they supoprt the extradition to Sweeden. In fact, they support it so whole heartedly that they went to the effort of putting it into law.
But Assange is a criminal with no political dimension. He is wanted in Sweden in connection with alleged sex offences. He has now committed offences in Britain by breaching his bail conditions.
@5 What is LatAm to us? Except an enemy. Every LatAm country that supports the illegitimate and illegal claims of argieland against British territory is an actual or potential enemy. And should be treated accordingly. And quasi-Brits that support the enemy should be treated like any other quisling. Or as enemy aliens!
Guzz, we know the script now thanks, we understand that every issue to do with the UK will be as a result of us being Imperial Colonialists and every issue with any country in South America is as a result of the Falkland Islands. It makes things simple really doesnt it. I though it was interesting that at the Unasur meeting, 3 voted against, 5 abstained and 3 didn't even bother to turn up, that's a third if the organisation. Hardly unified!
Ricardo Patiño is a political appointee and his qualifications to be a diplomat are absolutely zero. It is very unlikely that he is respected by Ecuadorian career diplomats but he, too, has an even bigger chip on his shoulder.
No wonder the LatAm gang of of dim-wits jumped on the chance to berate the UK despite these facts.
I hope the UK use the Diplomatic and Consular Premises Act 1987 to suspend the Ecuadorian Embassy either temporarily or permanently and allow the police to execute the arrest warrant on the premises.
If Ecuador wants to have a hissy fit typical of LatAms, that is up to them.
What the hell Uruguay is doing voting in this manner is beyond my comprehension if they want to develop relationships with grown up countries and advance trade.
Who, other than the likes of Iran and the other losers, is going to extend the hand of friendship to rabid countries such as Ecuador and their allies?
International law cannot be used as a populist and nationalist instrument.
The facts that the 1987 Act is a UK law and that there has never been a threat to use it on the Ecuadorian Embassy appear to have been lost in the scramble for a good old over-reaction and false drama.
Please notice comment No.:12 by ”Britworker”
Her writes:
”I though it was interesting that at the Unasur meeting, 3 voted against, 5 abstained and 3 didn't even bother to turn up, that's a third if the organisation. Hardly unified!”
I say:
This turnip didn’t even thought before sprouting turnipy lies…
3 voted against, 5 abstained and 3 didn't turn up, he says…..
3 + 5 + 3 = 11
As we all know, Unasur consists of 12 members…..:
1)Argentina
2) Bolivia
3) Brasil
4) Chile
5) Colombia
6) Ecuador
7) Guyana
8) Paraguay
9) Perú
10) Surinam
11) Uruguay
12) Venezuela
If eleven of those Countries voted against, abstained or were absent as ”Britworker” wants us to believe, it means that only Ecuador voted in favor…….
This Turnip calling himself ”Britworker” is an insult to all decent Britworkers out there…..
(16) ChrisR
Why don’t you just pack your bags, leave Uruguay and move back to England?
You would spare yourself a lot of anger and us a lot of your nonsense….
“Imperialist Britain must negotiate over Assange”
I'm terribly sorry, I meant the OAS. You have that many factional groups, it's easy to mix you all up.
Really? The best you can come up with is a article written by an Argentine architect banging on about Britain thinking it's still an Empire. What next? A Bolivian toilet attendant claiming the Queen rules the world?
The UK has granted assylum to murderers, and genocidists simply because they were fighting either the Soviets, or because they were a butt-stop against muslim fundamentalism. No honor as usual.
The resolution, adopted with 23 votes in favor, 3 against, 5 abstentions and 3 absent, convenes the Foreign Ministers of the OAS Member States to meet on Friday, August 24 at 11:00 EDT (16:00 GMT) at the headquarters of the organization in Washington, DC.
There you are, a third of the organisation disinterested - once again hardly unified!
1) Julian Assange is an alleged rapist avoiding due process and breaking the conditions of his bail agreement in the UK.
2) Ecuador has, for political reasons (in my opinion) misrepresented, misused and abused the detail of a classified inter-governmental meeting with the UK to discredit the UK and cause unwarranted controversy.
The only way to prevent a similar thing ever happening again would be to break off diplomatic relations completely and stop talking to them.
And having no relations with the UK hurts Ecuador... how? lol
@19 5 out of 12? Democracy? Jump, kangeroo slime.
@20 Dream on, slug!
@22 Cretinous slug!
@24 And argieland has granted “asylum” to thousands of nazi murderers, genocides, slime. Sorry, was it called “sanctuary”? Nothing to you scumsuckers, though. Not considering the tens of millions of Amerindians you “exterminated”. Bet you reckoned the nazis were just “learning”. Just how many millions did you exterminate, TiT? Have you apologised? Have you made reparations? Thought not. YOU are responsible. Just like YOU were responsible for the Falklands War. YOU scumsh*tes were responsible for 255 British deaths. At a minimum, we want 1000,000 argie deaths for every British soldier killed. Another 255,000,000 argie corpses required. To be chopped into small pieces and shovelled into the ocean. You don't have enough? Then let's just kill everything!
Tens of millions? What about the dozens of billions of Indians, Africans, and Aborigenes you brought under, as the Krauts would say.
I think you took my reply way too personally. Usually that means you got hurt by the truth or by a smarter opponent, but in your case it's always both.
Billions of Indians, Africans etc? I think you have you figures a little mixed up there Mr TTT anyway just ignore Conqueror he is a little bit childish in my opinion.
You should know by now to ignore Conqueror or report his posts.
As for your response it seems just as bad. Dozens of billions is more people than has EVER existed in the history of the Human Race. That's the last 20,000 years for Homo Sapians, but about 6 million years if you want to go as far back to where we diverged from Chimpanzees and started upright.
Stop making a fool out of yourself with these ridiculous claims.
As for Unusur. It's nothing to do with them. It's quite telling that Ecuador, like all bullies, only feel brave when backed up by their mates. But this isn't between the UK and South America, this is actually between Ecuador and Sweden, with Britain being caught in the middle. The rest of South America should butt out of this because they will only make fools of themselves, just like Correa is making a fool out of Ecuador.
You see, according to Correa, RAPE isn't a crime in South America. He said that to the whole world! Incredible! Unbelievable! Yup, any sensible government now should be distancing themselves from Ecuador and stating that they are neutral in this dispute. But they won't and they'll make fools of their countries before the rest of the world.
And his figures are lined up and te'ed?
The UK is screwed BIG here:
If you go in:
1. Any shread of support for the UK (in anything), in Latin America would vanish for years. But more devastating, the UK would either:
a) Go in the embassy and be violating CENTURIES of treaties, conventions, and laws protecting diplomatic sanctuaries from the host's countries political/social whims. The UK would join the ranks of places like Iran and Cambodia in dishonoring one of the foundations of international diplomacy, embassy sanctuary and virtual sovereignty. Even Iran didn't send THEIR officers in, they let “out of control hoardes” do the dirty work, they knew otherwise they would have been bombed. I guess the UK could send “students”, but we know they can't. So only sending law enforcement would be an option and that would be a FIRST in world history, and instantly the darkest breach of international law of the post-war era.
b) They could do it the “legal” way and declare Ecuador does not have the right to have an embassy, which in essence means you are denying that country's actual formal status as an independent state. That would immediately render void all treaties, agreements, exchange, and trade between the two countries, and is basically a declaration of war. Which is why it's never been done, since it gives you so little in return, either you keep the peace or you actually do go to war and get something out of it. This “middle” fence is by far the worst choice any country could make diplomatically, and the UK would be the FIRST ever in modern times.
2. You will probably get the likes of Russia and China very embittered and will hurt the UK there.
If you don't go in:
1. You piss off big time your “special relationship” lover the US, that could have very serious repercutions long term, and the UK depends a lot on the US. You'd also massively damage your standing with the Nordic countries for years. And you already have frosty relations with the EU.
ouch!
The UK police are not going to enter the Ecuadorian Embassy and NEVER THREATENED to either.
Trade between Ecuador and the UK is small and insignificant, though the countries have enjoyed a pretty good relationship in recent years. In fact, they are still talking now; today.
This has nothing to do with the US. Assange is wanted for questioning by the Swedish authorities about a serious crime. Assange has exhausted the judicial options in the UK and skipped bail to hide out in a foreign embassy, thus also breaking the law in the UK. (And ensuring a large group of his supporters forfeit the money the put up as bail for him). He will be arrested and sent back to Sweden to face questioning. But not until most of LatAm gets its' knickers in a twist over nothing.
That is all. No need to get over excited.
Where were you the last few weeks? Watching the Olympics?
Pinochet....-bla,bla,bal......
Assange.......bla,bla,bla.....
Malvinas.....bla,bla,bla.....
Dauntless....bla,bla,bla....
armament...bla,bla,bla....
you espeach about everybody !!!!
you continous...bla,bla,bla....argyland for ARGENTINA
who are you??
are you judge?
are you learned?
are you intelligent?
are you magician?
NOT EVEN!!!!!!!! CERTANLY NOT !!!!!!!
you are deceiver !!
you are lying !!
you are genuine slug !!
you are person who suffer from a complex !!!!, BIG COMPLEX !!!!
Remember: LatAm united = british keep quiet !! REMEMBER
Remember: 1, or 5, or 10, or 20, or 50 years = SOUTH AMERICA for latinamericans !!!!!!!! REMEMBER
Remember: british go home !!!!!
REMEMBER: when you speach of ARGENTINA wash your mouth.
you, just now: ...bla, bla, bla......, but I´not answer back !! you are poor man for me.-
And actually, I have to return to my duties now. Don't take my “hostility” too seriously.
So now it's South America for Latin Americans only. Does this mean you're going to start another purge of Amerindians?
You seem to have a huge identity crises going. One minute you claim to be a native Amerindian, the next you're a Latin American.
Perhaps you are just a liar with a bad memory who can't remember his previous lies.
As for South America uniting? Why would you do that? None of you trust each other enough to do that.
Oh and in 50 years, 100 years and 200 years and more, the Falkland Islands will either still be British or they will be an Independent country. What they won't ever be is Argentine.
Is that why you're so angry? Because you are so impotent?
I'd love Britain to break off relations with the ecuadorians in power, unworthy for sure of gentlemanly conduct. They're president is getting brownie points out of this, as their mindset is 'how can we get one over on the UK' .
@28 conqueror
When a south american tries to attain the moral high ground with respect to the deeds of empires, you know their schooling is questionable. They all think their history does not predate their declaration of independence.
@15 furryass @4
Your argument is a joke. Pinochet was handled in all respects and at all times, by the constraints of international law. Don't think for one moment that britain is anything other than totally compliant with international law.
to day, indians = latinamericans, brothers americans, AMERICA is race crucible !!!!!
Remember SOUTH AMEICA only for south americans !!!
What utter shite. There is no legal obligation for any country to host the embassy of a foreign power and the refusal of such has no bearing on a nations status and in no way amounts to an act of war. A foreign embassy exists at the sufferance of the host nation.
Then why hasn't the UK gone in or close the embassy if there are no legal repercutions? From one account there at least 24 different treaties the UK has signed which protect that embassy from being busted into.
And yes, legally revoking a country's embassy automatically assumes that all other agreements are null and void, since for about, hmmm, 5000 years, the first step of recognition of countries to each other is the establishement of a diplomatic seat. Sorry, UK loses either way here. That's what happens when you try to get in the middle of everything, sometimes you do get run over.
Do you really 'think' that I am going to take advice from possibly the biggest liar and obfuscator on MercoPress?
I don't think so I don't Think, particularly as you have resided in many countries that most certainly would have been glad to see the back of you if you lied as much there as you do about Argentina.
No, I think I am your nemesis because I don't believe the drivel you spout. I check your little stories out and put the lie to them.
Thankfully you have no influence in Uruguay and the way Pepe is going from only 14 months ago, it does make me wonder if the man is ill.
You however are just beneath contempt.
TTT good for you look me up if you come over here
Juba Keep your SA but the Falklands is for Falklands islanders if you don't like it do something about it or do what you normally do fuckin WHINGE
If the UK pulls out anything funny here you will be putting thousands of your own diplomats and citizens at grave risk in the future.
Assange is wanted for extradition to Sweden to be questioned on serious sex crimes. Sweden has a good and well-respected judicial system. If Assange is innocent, as he says, he will be freed.
The UK have not threatened to enter the Embassy of Ecuador. They have promised to arrest Assange when he leaves the building.
There is no need for the UK to enter the Embassy. Either Assange's own ego or the Ecuadoreans will drive him out soon enough.
Whoa! Were did that come from? All I said was that you did overreact to the whole killing of Millions of Argentine's.
@51
You know someone once suggested something similar to that that about John Lennon and Yoko Ono, lets just say the results weren't exactly popular with everyone who loved the Beatles.
That would indeed put Ecuador in Mercosur in a hurry! I vote for your solution ;)
It was your people who massacred the South Amerindians, not mine, you know those evil imperialistic Spanish colonists.
You always seem angry. But the Falklands will never be Argentine. They will be speaking English, driving on the left side of the road, and enjoying their unique way of life long after Argentina has been bankrupted by your own government.
And the reason you are so angry is because you know it's the truth, and you know that there isn't a thing that Argentina can do about it.
Next year the Islanders, who have been on the Falklands since before Argentina was a country, will tell the world what they want.
Once that has happened Argentina's dream of stealing land that doesn't belong to them is over.
The UN will recognise the result. The Falkland Islands Government will petition the UN to remove them from the C24 list, and to remove the word Malvinas from all international documentation.
And Argentina will cry and play the victim. But your country has played that card once too often and no one in the world will care.
The Falklanders will continue with a very prosperous future, and may decide to become an independent country in the future.
But the point is they will never be Argentine.
Regarding the actual story though. This is nothing to do with Unasur, and the UK never ceased to be willing to talk. That was Correa, the man who supports rapists.
Ecuador is an unimportant country to even the SA region and if you think the treacherous infighting SA countries are going to make a stand, I'd suggest you stop drinking.
Whilst Ecuador isolating itself by harboring a fugitive of several countries the UK will continue as ever unaffected regardless of pointless unasur council meetings where the leading country has an axe to grind against the UK.
And meanwhile Ecuador is the only country that will get diplomatically punished by making an enemy of the UK/EU/Sweden and the US who clearly would like justice whilst Assange rots away in his little building.
Whilst the UK continues to follow domestic and international law.
So tell me, who does this hurt?
you said: ”The falklanders (remember english named KELPERS and new BENNYS - 2nd citycen, later 1982 falklander for the oil) will continue with a very prospeurous future“ = emigrate
you said: The falkland island government will petition the Un ..... and remove the word MALVINAS fron all international documentation” dreams, dreams. Remember you: 1 or 2 or 5 or 10 or 20 or 50 year, british go home. Remember in LatAm no british. South America united in future. In addition remember Hong-Cong, in future Irlanda.
Here, here!
Can anyone in Argentina (gov or otherwise) read!
The British never said that (never let the truth get in the way of a good story, eh).
They said the diplomatic status of the building can be removed, then they are not entering an Embassy, are they!
Every country reserves the right to do this, all diplomatic status is by consent of the host country, no different in S. America.
Colonialism! This is not about what ECUADORIANS do in SOUTH AMERICA, it’s about what ECUADORIANS do in LONDON.
Colonialist Ecuador!!! Aaaaaaahahahaha!!!
That's marvelous!! Cheers *let me check whom it is this time* Yes, Pugol...
Cheers for granting me a smile
Colonialist Ecuador, shame on them :)
This is a Swedish insult for Danes, but you wouldn’t know that being Uruguayan.
Well technically Mr Guzz, Ecuador is a colonialist country as it was founded by Spanish speaking migrants and other Europeans who came from the continent of Europe to South America and took land from the native indigenous who were mostly displaced or exterminated. Were do you think we get the term Latin America from? Do you think its American in origin? Eh no...
So yeah I guess Ecuador is a colonialist country as it is a Spanish Speaking European originated country in the wrong continent to possibly 'indigenous', much like the US, Canada, Argentina, Cuba even your beloved Uruguay.....hell everyone country in the America's for that matter.
But I thought it had been Latin America forever... Actually, wasn't Amerigo Vespucci named after America? By the way, you are confusing colonialist for a colony...
Er no, its called Latin America as a result of the original Spanish settlers who's language along with Italian and French is the closest to the original Latin as possible, amongst other things. That distinguishes South America from those who speak English in North America which is a language of Germanic origin. Oh and by the way Colony or not, Ecuador is still a country that is the product of colonialism and so any colonially created country or its inhabitants that complain about colonisation are as hypocritical as a rapist speaking out against sexual abuse, its pathetic, aragont and so hypocritical that someone should be given a slap in the face about it.
Aaaah, so it's called America because of the.... Spanish settlers?
And what you say about NA makes sense, French being a Germanic language and all...
Why din't spend a few weeks on a school bench? For your own sake I mean...
School Bench? What are you on about? I'am afraid I don't know why the America's are called the America's but I do know that South AMerica is called what it is as a result of the Latin oriented languages in use down there; Spanish, Portuguese, French etc. French of course is only used by 10 million people plus in NA compared to the 400 million plus English speaker's.
It's called America after Amerigo Vespucci, italian seafarer. The feminine form of his Latin name Americus, is America.
South America is called SA because of geografical reasons, as in being to the south of (accidentally), north America. Latin America is all the countries in America with Latin origined languages, except Canada.
Now you know too :)
Yeah...... I already knew that I'm not an idiot Mr Guzz, but Im glad that you finally admit that you Americans are the product of European colonialism and as a result you lot can't complain about said colonialism.
I don't want to burst your bubble too much but there is a competing claim that Cabot's sponsor (Daffydd ap Meric/ David Merrick) was responsible. This link from the Guardian (must be true then ;-) )
www.guardian.co.uk/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-19314,00.html
I'm not taking a position on this one!
Enjoy!
You have a point, but think of this: what if one day a British woman is accused of “seducing” men in the streets of Ryad, that's a severe crime there. What if she seeks shelter in the UK embassy. The saudis, if they did go and grab Assange, could use the same excuse (it's a crime), to go in and grab the woman.
It is very dangerous because then a “crime” is a very different concept all over the world, but diplomatic safeguards are more universal. To trade what 99% of the world respect (embassy immunity), for the whims of local laws is extremely dangerous, not least for your own citizens.
@48
who said anyone would close any UK embassies? I said it's never been done by anyone because it is a utterly daft move. If Hague did do that to the Ecuadorians he would go down in history as an imbecile.
Indeed. Not in the EU though. What he did in Sweden would be illegal just as much in the UK as it was pointed out in court.
“for the whims of local laws is extremely ”
He broke local(EU) laws in a local(EU) country.
Ecuador who is not an EU nation has got involved in EU law.
So now we have two South American countries threatening dire consequences if Britain attacks the sovereignty of another nation’s embassy,
And also warned that dire consequences will befall British embassies around the world,
Great Britain has threatened no one, even today, the British government, in the face of threats and abuse, stays quite,
Britain says nothing,
But the threats and abuse still rain down on us, and its not finished yet, the might south Americans are meeting very soon, to punish the British,
But we just stay calm, and very quiet,
Perhaps you should ask your selves [why]
He has (allegedly) been paid a 6 figure sum to do this and been granted immunity from prosecution.”
This is the latest conspiracy theory.
I'm posting it on every thread just to annoy Guzz. :0D
Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!