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Assange: How a cosy chat with the president of Ecuador turned into a diplomatic headache for Britain
Telegraph - UK ^ | August 19, 2012 | Harriet Alexander, Philip Sherwell in New York and Hugo Carro in Quito

Posted on 08/19/2012 12:15:01 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife

One was an Australian computer hacker; the other a head of state. They did not speak each other’s language; and their first encounter was a videolink conversation across 6,000miles.

....“Welcome to the club of the persecuted!” a beaming Mr Correa[President of Ecuador]told the grinning Australian. ...on Mr Assange’s Russian television chat show in May, the Ecuadorean discussed at great length his resentment of American“imperialism”, and his vehement dislike of big business, media barons and “elites”.

..........Mr Assange nodded knowingly....... The two men laughed and joked as they congratulated each other on their pariah status.

......On Thursday, Mr Correa’s government announced a decision to grant Mr Assange diplomatic asylum. The WikiLeaks founder, who is wanted in Sweden as part of an investigation into sexual assault, had fled to the Ecuadorean embassy in London on June19 – claiming that extradition to Sweden would...lead to extradition to the United States,.....

Kintto Lucas, the former deputy foreign minister..first contacted Mr Assange in December 2010 to show his country’s support and offer residency.

...authorities in the Ecuadorean capital, Quito, had been weighing up how to deal with their London lodger.

Should they risk infuriating Britain – which under international law is compelled to extradite Mr Assange to Sweden – and kick open a diplomatic hornet’s nest? Or should they seize the opportunity to rile “arrogant” Britain, and, by association, their nemesis, the US?....

....In Sweden...the foreign minister, described his Ecuadorean counterpart’s speech as “very politically twisted, very strange.”....

....“No one is going to terrorise us!” proclaimed President Correa on Twitter.

Unsurprisingly, the Left-wing leader received vociferous backing from his ideological allies – Venezuela, Cuba, and Bolivia all being ruled by like-minded leaders.....

...“This is a reminder for us about the Malvinas [Falklands]....In both cases the British political leadership thinks it can walk all over us.”......

(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government
KEYWORDS: assange; briton; ecuador; falklands; international; media; nationalsecurity; russia; southamerica; sweden; unitedstates; wikileaks

1 posted on 08/19/2012 12:15:11 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: All

Re Julian Assange:

“Cuban blogger Yoani Sanchez, who in an interview with The Sunday Telegraph in January detailed the hounding of journalists in Cuba, Venezuela and Ecuador, said it was like “Robin Hood seeking shelter in the castle of the Sheriff of Nottingham.”


2 posted on 08/19/2012 12:23:56 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

I can’t think of any case over the past thirty years where a guy wanted asylum...because of sexual assault charges. Adding to the mess....it’s not a country like Russia or China or North Korea....instead, it’s Sweden. The charges, if convicted...amounts to around two to three years in a Swedish prison....which might not be such a terrible place. I personally think he’ll go nuts if he has stay in this contained embassy situation for more than a year.


3 posted on 08/19/2012 4:08:03 AM PDT by pepsionice
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To: pepsionice

He’s a narcissist willing to assist and to be used by Leftists to blow this into an international incident against capitalism.


4 posted on 08/19/2012 4:12:15 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: pepsionice

The “embassy” is actually a two-bedroom apartment in Kensington. This isn’t the mansion he used to stay in.


5 posted on 08/19/2012 4:47:11 AM PDT by wideawake
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To: wideawake; All

UPDATE:

Julian Assange facing arrest as he makes statement two months after entering Ecuadorian embssy

>>>WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange could be arrested today if he steps outside the Ecuadorian embassy to deliver a highly anticipated statetment. <<<

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/ecuador/9485578/Julian-Assange-facing-arrest-as-he-makes-statement-two-months-after-entering-Ecuadorian-embssy.html


6 posted on 08/19/2012 4:51:39 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: pepsionice; All

LINK to hear his live statement:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/ecuador/9485736/Julian-Assange-defies-British-Government-to-make-statement-from-balcony-of-Ecuadorian-embassy.html

.......”On Sunday a heavy police presence could be seen on the streets of Knightsbridge as dozens of officers, aided by helicopters overhead, sought to maintain calm.

A huge scrum of press had also gathered outside the embassy, behind Harrods, as the world’s media waited for the Australian in the blazing sun.

Dozens of reporters, photographers and television crews were barricaded in metal pens directly opposite the building.

A small number of supporters had gathered alongside while scores of tourists and onlookers stopped to take pictures of the extraordinary scenes.

“It reminds me of Evita about to address the people,” one onlooker remarked.”......


7 posted on 08/19/2012 6:41:10 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: All

Source

"He called on US President Barack Obama to "do the right thing" and for his government to "renounce its witch hunt against Wikileaks".

8 posted on 08/19/2012 6:44:41 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

If it’s being described as like an address by Evita Peron, then it implies that he will be speaking from the balcony of the apartment, which would still be considered Ecuadorian soil for legal purposes.


9 posted on 08/19/2012 6:57:57 AM PDT by wideawake
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

The only thing about Julia that surprises me is that it’s adult women making accusations of abuse rather than the parents of various 6 year old boys.


10 posted on 08/19/2012 7:33:05 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative (The Word Is Out,Harry Reid's Into Child Porn.Release All Your Photos,Harry!)
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To: wideawake; Cincinatus' Wife

11 posted on 08/19/2012 7:44:20 AM PDT by Oztrich Boy (Monarchy is the one system of government where power is exercised for the good of all - Aristotle)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Marxism is alive and well in South America.


12 posted on 08/19/2012 8:44:41 AM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
I understand from Reuters press that Assange “partied with his supporters” prior to seeking asylum in the Ecuadorean embassy. The bail money put up for this man is said to be about $346,000 (USD). A Ken Loach, also a Jeminina Khan (London socialite) were the guarantors, with a Mr Michael Moore. I know one of the small fry claimed he borrowed about $35,000 (USD) to help bail Assange. Hardly believable, I would think. They could lose their money, although it is not certain. Moore would not be bothered though.

Even the left leaning CBC (Canada) had it that one did not dare say, or do very much in Ecuador. This in offending the high mucky mucks in that government. I know that the two London Daily Telegraph reporters who were initially enamoured of Assange, finally got more than fed up with the man.

What a mess this man has caused. He will do this to his dying day methinks.

13 posted on 08/19/2012 10:39:17 AM PDT by Peter Libra
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To: Peter Libra; Cincinatus' Wife
Whoops my bad.

Slandered the London Daily Telegraph. The two intrepid reporters who defended Assange were Leigh and Harding of the GUARDIAN newspaper.

14 posted on 08/19/2012 10:45:32 AM PDT by Peter Libra
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