The diplomatic row between the UK and Ecuador over WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has deepened after the Foreign Office said the Government would seek to extradite him even if he is granted political asylum by the South American nation. The Ecuadorian authorities have accused the Government of threatening to enter its embassy in London to seize Mr Assange, who faces sexual assault charges in Sweden.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said the UK had a legal duty to extradite Mr Assange and that would not change if he was granted political asylum. She said: “It does not change our position. Our legal position is not changing at all. Our position is that we have a duty to extradite him, even if he is granted political asylum.”
A decision by the Ecuadorian government on whether to grant Mr Assange asylum is expected later.
A handful of protesters gathered outside the Ecuadorian embassy in London’s upmarket Knightsbridge area, where police were keeping watch. They arrived following the release by Ecuador’s minister for foreign affairs, Ricardo Patino, of details of a letter from a UK official which he claimed amounted to a threat to “attack” the mission in London.
The letter said: “You need to be aware that there is a legal base in the UK, the Diplomatic and Consular Premises Act 1987, that would allow us to take actions in order to arrest Mr Assange in the current premises of the embassy. We sincerely hope that we do not reach that point, but if you are not capable of resolving this matter of Mr Assange’s presence in your premises, this is an open option for us.”
The dramatic development came two months after Mr Assange suddenly walked into the Ecuadorian embassy in a bid to avoid being extradited to Sweden.
The Foreign Office said the 1987 law permits the revocation of diplomatic status of a building if the foreign power occupying it “ceases to use land for the purposes of its mission or exclusively for the purposes of a consular post”. Under international law, diplomatic posts are considered the territory of the foreign nation.
Mr Patino said: “Ecuador, as a state that respects rights and justice and is a democratic and peaceful nation state, rejects in the strongest possible terms the explicit threat of the British official communication. This is unbecoming of a democratic, civilised and law-abiding state. If this conduct persists, Ecuador will take appropriate responses in accordance with international law.”
Mr Assange denies the allegations against him, but fears he will be sent to the United States if he goes to Sweden. An offer to the Swedish authorities by Ecuador for investigators to interview Mr Assange inside the London embassy was rejected.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman denied a threat was being made and added: “We are still committed to reaching a mutually acceptable solution.”