Updated August 19, 2012 08:59:19
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is expected to speak publicly tonight for the first time since taking refuge at the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
Mr Assange, who has been holed up in the embassy since June, is set to give a statement at 2.00pm local time (11.00pm AEST).
It remains unclear if he will leave the building and, if he does, how he will do so without being arrested. British police are stationed outside the embassy, ready to arrest Mr Assange if he leaves the building.
The Australian entered the Ecuadorian embassy two months ago and has been told he can stay as long as he needs to as a diplomatic stand-off continues between Ecuador and the UK.
Ecuador has granted him political asylum, but Britain is determined to extradite him to Sweden to face sexual assault allegations.
Ecuador's president, Rafael Correa, says he decided to grant Mr Assange asylum because of a lack of guarantees from Britain and Sweden over any future extradition to a third country.
Mr Assange and his supporters fear he will be extradited from Sweden to the US, where he could face the death penalty.
In a national address, Mr Correa criticised the British government for their threat to enter the Ecuadorian embassy in London, calling it an intolerable and explicit threat.
"They're out of touch. Who do they think they're dealing with? Can't they see that this is a dignified and sovereign government which will not kneel down before anyone?" he said.
"We've never said that Julian Assange shouldn't answer to the Swedish justice system, nor contribute to the investigation into the supposed crimes.
"What we have always asked for is a guarantee that there wont be a second extradition to a third country, as that would put Mr Assange's life and freedom at risk."
Support for Ecuador's position seems to be growing in Latin America, where several countries will meet on Friday to discuss the diplomatic deadlock.
Mr Assange fears he will be sent from Sweden to the US, and declassified diplomatic cables obtained by Fairfax Media suggest the US is intent on doing just that.
Fairfax says the documents - obtained under freedom of information laws - also show Australia's ambassador to the US, Kim Beazley, asked the US government for advance warning of any move to extradite Mr Assange.
Fairfax says the documents also reveal Australia has no objection to a potential extradition to the US.
But Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr yesterday reiterated earlier comments that Australia has no evidence to suggest the US is planning such a move.
Federal Opposition MP Julie Bishop has accused Senator Carr of misleading Parliament over the matter.
"It is a very serious matter to mislead the Parliament and Senator Carr must reveal his full knowledge about this matter," she said.
"That's an issue he did raise in Parliament and there appears to be a contradiction between what he has said and the cables that have now emanated from the Australian embassy in Washington."
ABC/Reuters
Topics: world-politics, crime, ecuador, england, united-kingdom, australia
First posted August 19, 2012 08:56:52
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is expected to speak publicly tonight for the first time since taking refuge at the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
Mr Assange, who has been holed up in the embassy since June, is set to give a statement at 2.00pm local time (11.00pm AEST).
It remains unclear if he will leave the building and, if he does, how he will do so without being arrested. British police are stationed outside the embassy, ready to arrest Mr Assange if he leaves the building.
The Australian entered the Ecuadorian embassy two months ago and has been told he can stay as long as he needs to as a diplomatic stand-off continues between Ecuador and the UK.
Ecuador has granted him political asylum, but Britain is determined to extradite him to Sweden to face sexual assault allegations.
Ecuador's president, Rafael Correa, says he decided to grant Mr Assange asylum because of a lack of guarantees from Britain and Sweden over any future extradition to a third country.
Mr Assange and his supporters fear he will be extradited from Sweden to the US, where he could face the death penalty.
In a national address, Mr Correa criticised the British government for their threat to enter the Ecuadorian embassy in London, calling it an intolerable and explicit threat.
"They're out of touch. Who do they think they're dealing with? Can't they see that this is a dignified and sovereign government which will not kneel down before anyone?" he said.
"We've never said that Julian Assange shouldn't answer to the Swedish justice system, nor contribute to the investigation into the supposed crimes.
"What we have always asked for is a guarantee that there wont be a second extradition to a third country, as that would put Mr Assange's life and freedom at risk."
Support for Ecuador's position seems to be growing in Latin America, where several countries will meet on Friday to discuss the diplomatic deadlock.
Mr Assange fears he will be sent from Sweden to the US, and declassified diplomatic cables obtained by Fairfax Media suggest the US is intent on doing just that.
Fairfax says the documents - obtained under freedom of information laws - also show Australia's ambassador to the US, Kim Beazley, asked the US government for advance warning of any move to extradite Mr Assange.
Fairfax says the documents also reveal Australia has no objection to a potential extradition to the US.
But Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr yesterday reiterated earlier comments that Australia has no evidence to suggest the US is planning such a move.
Federal Opposition MP Julie Bishop has accused Senator Carr of misleading Parliament over the matter.
"It is a very serious matter to mislead the Parliament and Senator Carr must reveal his full knowledge about this matter," she said.
"That's an issue he did raise in Parliament and there appears to be a contradiction between what he has said and the cables that have now emanated from the Australian embassy in Washington."
ABC/Reuters
Topics: world-politics, crime, ecuador, england, united-kingdom, australia
First posted August 19, 2012 08:56:52