MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Ecuadorean president visits UK; speculation about a deal on Julian Assange's future
A statement made it clear the president will not address issues relating to the WikiLeaks founder, who has been living in Ecuador’s London embassy since 2012 
News that Assange could be turned over to UK authorities comes after The Sunday Times reported FCO minister Sir Alan Duncan has been in talks with Ecuador 
President Lenin Moreno has previously called Mr Assange a ‘hacker’ and a ‘stone in the shoe’ 
Moreno ordered the removal of extra security at the embassy. The operation is believed to have cost Ecuador some £3.7million, running at £48,000 a month Ecuador has said its president will not discuss the future of Julian Assange during a visit to the UK. Lenin Moreno was scheduled to speak in London and later travel to Scotland to the University of Edinburgh. He will also address businessmen interested in investing in Ecuador.
A statement made it clear the president will not address issues relating to the WikiLeaks founder, who has been living in Ecuador’s London embassy since 2012. Assange fears being extradited to the US if he leaves the building, for questioning over the activities of WikiLeaks.
The 47 year old has been granted political asylum by Ecuador’s government, but his communication was cut off three months ago when he was accused of breaching a written commitment not to issue messages that might interfere with other states.
News he could be turned over to UK authorities comes after The Sunday Times reported foreign office minister Sir Alan Duncan has been in talks with Ecuador over its protection of the Australian. Moreno has previously called Mr. Assange a ‘hacker’ and a ‘stone in the shoe’.
Moreno ordered the removal of extra security at the embassy. The operation is believed to have cost Ecuador at least £3.7million, running at around £48,000 a month.
Sources close to Mr. Assange believe his political asylum cannot be revoked and that he was not aware of high-level talks. During his stay, Mr. Assange’s physical and mental health is said to have deteriorated.
In March, he was branded a ‘miserable little worm’ by Sir Alan, who urged him to surrender to justice.
Ecuador said it will continue its position of talking and “promoting understandings” on Assange’s asylum, adding there was no clear-cut short or long-term solution. A briefing to MPs last month from one of Assange’s legal team said the UK could resolve the impasse by providing an assurance against US extradition.
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Read all commentsYes Ecuador has paid a high price for this idiot, and what did Ecuador get out of it? Nothing at all.
Jul 26th, 2018 - 04:49 am 0The only way to end this is to kick Assange out of the embassy and hand him over to UK authorities for him to face justice for jumping his bail. If Sweden wants to then talk extradition so be it.
As for the US, there has NEVER been any evidence that the US wanted to extradite him from anywhere, let alone Sweden (which doesn't have an agreement on extradition with the US), and his excuses were obvious. But surely Assange still doesn't believe that the US wants to extradite him, does he? After all his bestest 'bud', Donald Trump, who he (Assange) helped get elected into the White House (after helping the Russians hack the Democratic campaign) is President now. Surely Trump wouldn't want him extradited?
Would be funny though if he did surrender himself, then the Yanks whack in an extradition request just as Sweden drop theirs as it has expired.
Jul 26th, 2018 - 01:53 pm 0They would probably agree to drop the death penalty but not tell him, just let him escape and leave him locked up in another Embassy somewhere for another 10 years or so, before a trial and conviction giving him a 30 year sentence.
Couldn’t happen to a nicer bloke.
I'm sure the US gov't WANT to extradite him, (and lock him up and throw away the key), but it's not obvious he's broken any of their laws. They already had over a year to charge him with something, while he was on bail in the UK, and they didn't... who knows if they've come up with something since then? I think he's quite right not to trust in Trump's gratitude, though.
Jul 26th, 2018 - 02:25 pm 0@Pugol-H
While I don't feel remotely sorry for those two terrorists, I suspect the UK gov't not sticking to their principles over the death penalty may come back to haunt them later.
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