Ecuador has threatened to launch a legal action against Britain over the status of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange if London rejects a bilateral commission proposal by Press TV
In an interview with the South American country’s public radio on Friday, Ecuador’s Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said Quito will have no “alternative” but to go to international tribunals if the UK government rejects a proposal to submit the case of the Australian activist to a bilateral commission.
He also urged the British government to “respect Ecuador’s right to grant asylum” and allow Assange safely travel to the Latin American country.
“We are hoping for a response, including one in writing, from (the British) and if they do not do so in a few days we will have to prepare an international suit so that the United Kingdom respects international law,” the top Ecuadorian diplomat said.
Assange has been holed up in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since June 2012 and has secured political asylum from the South American country after he lost a legal battle against extradition to Sweden where he is wanted for questioning over the sexual abuse allegations.
It is believed that Assange’s extradition to the North European country is a cover for sending him to the US, where he is wanted over the release of thousands of US’ classified documents on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan on his whistleblower website.
