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Showing Original Post only (View all)Assange will be refused safe passage even if Ecuador grants asylum - Foreign Office [View all]
Source: RT
The UK will do everything in its power to block Assanges passage to Ecuador even if he is granted asylum by the nations government, officials said, claiming a legal obligation to extradite the WikiLeaks founder to Sweden.
UK authorities sparked a minor scandal when they announced they were prepared to raid the Ecuadorian embassy in London in order to apprehend Assange, effectively revoking the embassys diplomatic immunity.
"Giving asylum doesn't fundamentally change anything," said a spokesperson from the UK Foreign Office.
"We must be absolutely clear this means that should we receive a request for safe passage for Mr Assange, after granting asylum, this would be refused."
Read more: http://www.rt.com/news/assange-ecuador-uk-passage-823/
Reuters also reporting something similar:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/16/us-wikileaks-assange-britain-idUSBRE87F0B920120816
Britain says Assange asylum wouldn't change a thing
(Reuters) - Britain told Ecuador on Thursday that giving Julian Assange asylum would not change a thing and that it might still revoke the diplomatic status of Quito's embassy in London to allow the extradition of the WikiLeaks founder.
The Ecuadorean government, which said it would announce its decision on Assange's asylum request on Thursday at 7 a.m. (1200 GMT), said any attempt to remove the diplomatic status of its embassy would be considered a "hostile and intolerable act".
"It is too early to say when or if Britain will revoke the Ecuadorean embassy's diplomatic status," a Foreign Office spokesman said by telephone.
"Giving asylum doesn't fundamentally change anything," the spokesman said, adding that Britain had a legal duty to extradite Assange to Sweden where he is wanted to stand trial for rape.