From William Hagues speech, the transcript:
I am left wondering if William Hague is confused.
At the start it is reported he says, “We are disappointed by the statement by Ecuador’s Foreign Minister today that Ecuador has offered political asylum to Julian Assange.“
Note “political asylum“.
Later on he mentions, “The UK does not accept the principle of diplomatic asylum. It is far from a universally accepted concept: the United Kingdom is not a party to any legal instruments which require us to recognise the grant of diplomatic asylum by a foreign embassy in this country.“
Note in the latter “diplomatic asylum” is mentioned.
I wonder does the UK accept Assange has been given “political” asylum, or “diplomatic” asylum. I further wonder if the UK still accepts the principle of “political” asylum?
Another quote from the transcript reads, “No-one, least of all the Government of Ecuador, should be in any doubt that we are determined to carry out our legal obligation to see Mr Assange extradited to Sweden. He faces serious charges in a country with the highest standards of law and where his rights are guaranteed.“
I wonder what “charges” William Hague thinks Assange faces. William Hague intimates these charges are in Sweden, but perhaps by “in a country with the highest standards of law and where his rights are guaranteed” he means some other country – the USA perhaps, or perhaps another. William Hague needs to be clear which country he means and which “charges” from this country he is referring.
awbMaven 