Ecuador and the Assange story

Americas bloc foreign ministers to meet over UK threats to storm Ecuadorian Embassy

The Organization of American States has adopted Ecuador’s proposal for a meeting of foreign ministers to address the international legal implications of British threats to invade the embassy of a sovereign country.

RT,

18 August, 2012

The resolution was adopted with 23 voting in favor, three against and five abstentions.

The US and Canada were among those who opposed the measure, stating that the dispute over Assange's fate is a bilateral matter between Ecuador and the United Kingdom, and should not be dragged to the international table.

The foreign ministers of the bloc's thirty-five member states will convene at the OAS Headquarters in Washington, D.C., on August 24.

The special meeting of the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States was held on Thursday and Friday. The bloc discussed Ecuador’s proposal to arrange a ministerial meeting of the member states to address the issue as a matter of international law.

Ecuador called for an emergency OAS meeting after it received a memorandum from the UK, including a threat of an assault on the country’s London embassy to arrest Julian Assange if he is not handed over to the British authorities. The contents of the letter were revealed the day before Ecuador publicly announced its decision to grant Assange political asylum.

While the UK maintains that it has a right to extract Assange from Ecuador’s embassy, the Latin American country says any entry by British authorities onto its ambassadorial premises to arrest Assange would constitute a violation of Article 22 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Ecuador promised to pursue every legal means, including an appeal to the International Criminal Court, if the UK refuses to grant Assange safe passage out of the country.

In addition to the OAS, Ecuador also called on the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) and the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our Americas (ALBA) to hold meetings with a similar agenda.

The ALBA countries responded to the call with a statement expressing their solidarity with Ecuador and a “most resounding rejection” of the UK's threats against the country. According to a press release published by Ecuador, the ALBA governments warned Britain of “the serious and irreversible consequences the execution of these threats would have on the political, economic and cultural relations” with its member countries.

Both UNASUR and ALBA are expected to hold meetings on the issue over the weekend.

Ecuador may file appeal to ICC if UK refuses Assange safe passage

Ecuador has said it may appeal to the International Criminal Court (ICC) if the UK refuses to grant Julian Assange safe passage out of the country.

RT,

17 August, 2012

Ecuadorian presidential staff adviser Alexis Mera said his government would pursue every legal means to bring Assange to Ecuador.

"We are open to discuss with Britain the solution to this problem, and if there is no diplomatic solution, we may resort to the International Court of Justice," Ecuadorian daily EL Commercio quoted Mera as saying.

"It would be terrible and an attack on all international rights" if British police were to enter the Ecuadorian embassy, he said.

On Friday Mera attended a cabinent meeting with President Rafael Correa and other ministers in the Southern city of Liba.

The WikiLeaks founder Assange took shelter in Ecuador’s UK Embassy two months ago, with Quito granting him political asylum after careful deliberation on Thursday.

Ecuador’s Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said that Julian Assange’s rights are endangered as he was at high risk of being extradited to the United States upon being handed over to Sweden by UK authorities.

Patino further stated that Assange’s home country Australia was not providing him with sufficient legal protections, thus facilitating Ecuador’s decision to grant him asylum.

UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said that Britain did not recognize Assange’s asylum status and would continue with its efforts to extradite him to Sweden, where he is currently wanted for questioning on suspicion of sexual assault.

Hague reiterated that the UK “will not allow Mr Assange safe passage out of the UK."

On Thursday, the head of Assange’s legal team Baltasar Garzon said that any attempt by the UK to block Assange’s safe passage to Ecuador would be subject to an ICC appeal.

"What the United Kingdom must do is apply the diplomatic obligations of the Refugee Convention and let him leave, giving him safe conduct," the former judge told Spanish newspaper El Pais.

"They have to comply with diplomatic and legal obligations under the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, and respect the sovereignty of a country that has granted asylum," he told the daily.

The refugee convention defines who is a refugee, the rights of those granted asylum, and the responsibilities of nations which grant asylum. The convention further grants special travel arrangements for individuals who have been given asylum.

In the run up to the decision to grant Assange asylum, the British government reportedly warned Ecuador it could revoke diplomatic immunity for its embassy in London, empowering police to enter the building and arrest Assange.

Patino responded that such an unprecedented action would be a “flagrant violation” of international law.

Assange mother: Ecuador a shining light to world, other govt’s should follow suit