MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Foreign Office says Ecuador and UK have resume dialogue on the Assange case
Hague met with Vice-president Moreno at the Foreign Office Ecuador and the UK have confirmed the resumption of talks on the Assange case following the meeting of Ecuadorean Vice president Lenin Boltaire Moreno and Foreign Secretary William Hague at the Foreign Office on Wednesday.
Mr. Moreno one of the few paraplegic political leaders of the world was in London precisely for the launching of the Paralympic Games that took off on in the English capital on Wednesday.
According to an official release from the Foreign Office, the two leaders discussed Vice-President Moreno’s work on the “Ecuador without Barriers” program which provides a package of support for people with a disability and carers in Ecuador, and the importance of the Paralympic Games in raising awareness of the rights of people with disabilities.
”Foreign Secretary Hague thanked Vice-President Moreno for travelling to London for the Paralympic Games and asked the Vice-President to pass on his congratulations to the two Ecuadorian Paralympians who will be competing in swimming and weightlifting”, added the release.
Further on the release says that “they also discussed the situation regarding Mr Julian Assange’s presence in the Embassy of Ecuador in London. They confirmed the UK and Ecuador’s commitment to dialogue to find a diplomatic solution to the matter”.
The Wikileaks founder is holed in at the Ecuadorean embassy in London after having been granted political asylum by the government of President Rafael Correa.
Assange and the Ecuadorean government fear that if he is finally extradited to Sweden to face alleged sex related charges, and for which the UK is demanding his arrest to comply with the extradition ruling, he might be extradited to the US where he could face life imprisonment or death penalty for revealing thousands of secret diplomatic messages in Wikileaks.
Last week the Organization of American States gave Ecuador their full support in the dispute with the UK which at the beginning of the incident sent a veiled message about the possibility of entering the embassy to arrest Assange.
Ecuador and UK since then had stated they wanted to resume dialogue.
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Read all comments“Its good to talk” , But rapist is still going to sweden.
Aug 29th, 2012 - 09:51 pm 0Let's see. Resumption of talks.
Aug 30th, 2012 - 09:27 am 0Britain. “Are you going to keep habouring this alleged sex offender?”
Ecuador. “yes, we think we can squeeze some more publicity out of him. Let him come to Ecuador and we'll guarantee he'll spend the rest of his life in prison the 1st time he says something we don't like.”
Britain. “Er, no. We have to protect his human rights, that's why we can send him to Sweden, they have a great human rights record. Unfortunately Ecuadors human rights record leaves something to be desired. You'll eventually get fed up with him, when you do just kick him out of the door and we'll do the rest.”
End of discussion.
I'm not sure what Assange is thinking here long term. Let's imagine for a moment that the UK allows him safe passage to Ecuador. Then what? As soon as he sets foot outside Ecuador, or one of its tinpot allies that share its hatred of the US/UK etc, then he is going to be arrested and extradited to Sweden. So what is he achieving from all this hiding? Surely better to face the music now, take his punishment if he is found guilty, and get on with his life. Better that than have to live his life as a fugitive far away from family and friends (assuming he has any real friends left, other than band wagon hoppers). Just ask Ronnie Biggs how a life in exile feels.
Aug 30th, 2012 - 09:40 am 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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