MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Ecuador and UK to retake Assange case during the coming UN General Assembly

Ecuadorean Vice-president Lenin Moreno anticipated an understanding based on “sovereignty and law”

Ecuador and UK will resume talks on Julian Assange, founder of Wikileaks, during the coming session period of the UN General Assembly, said Ecuadorean Vice-president Lenin Moreno who anticipated a solution in accordance with “sovereignty and the law”.

Anyhow Moreno insisted in defending Ecuador’s “sovereign” decision to grant political asylum to Assange, holed in at the Ecuadorean embassy in London, but said he was hopeful a solution could be found as soon as possible.

“I believe there will be a meeting at the UN and as it has been said at all forums, we are going to underline our friendship and respect, our love and admiration for the English people, but at the same that our sovereignty is fully respected” said the Ecuadorean Vice-president.

Moreno who reiterated the UK is obliged to respect sovereign decisions from Ecuador has already talked about the issue at the end of August, with Foreign Secretary William Hague, during his visit to London for the opening of the Paralympics Games. At the time it was agreed that the issue would be addressed “at the highest level of governments”.

“I think we are going to find a way out; I’m optimistic, they call me an incorrigible optimistic, but I would bet it’s going to happen very soon” added the Ecuadorean official who is in New York for the UN conference on disabled people.

Assange is living at the Ecuadorean embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden where he is under investigation for alleged sexual abuses that he has repeatedly denied.

The Australian whistleblower fears that from Sweden he could be then sent to the US where he faces life imprisonment or death penalty for revealing diplomatic cables which have exposed US foreign and military policies overseas.

Ecuador has requested the UK extends a safe-conduct to Assange to abandon the embassy in London so that he can benefit from the political asylum granted, but London insists that he will be arrested and made to comply with English law and the extradition to Sweden.