Ecuador has attracted considerable attention on the world stage by granting asylum in their London embassy to Wikileaker Julian Assange, who is charged with sexual assault in Sweden, and offering asylum to Edward Snowden of NSA fame.
Ecuador is now threatening to sue the UK to force them to allow Assange free transit to Ecuador.
In hopes of breaking the deadlock, Ecuador has proposed creating a bilateral commission to resolve the issue.
"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," Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said in an interview with Ecuadoran public radio.
If London rejects the proposal, Mr Patino said, "we will have no alternative but to go to international judicial venues to compel respect for Ecuador's right to grant asylum, and their obligation to provide safe conduct."
One wonders how they think they will enforce such a ruling, assuming they get it. But in any case, I was amused to find, on the same day,
this reminder that the asylum card can be played both ways. Panama has granted asylum to a member of the Ecuadorian opposition who was convicted,
in absentia, of murder.
Panama granted asylum Saturday to an Ecuadoran opposition politician sentenced to prison last month for his role in a multiple homicide case, finding that he was subjected to political persecution.
Tito Galo Lara Yepez fled to Panama and requested asylum on grounds that his opposition to Ecuador's leftist government had placed his life in danger. [ ... ]
"Granting asylum (to Lara) could be a measure that supports the need to respect human rights and social and political stability in the region," the decree said.
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