Assange’s route to Ecuador blocked by Hague

The Australian campaigner and activist faces allegations of sexual assault in Sweden but has been taking refuge inside the London embassy of Ecuador for nearly two months.

He denies the allegations and says he fears being extradited to the US, where he believes authorities want to punish him for publishing thousands of secret diplomatic cables on WikiLeaks in 2010 – a major embarrassment for Washington at the time.

Mr Assange hailed the “significant and historic victory” of his being granted asylum by the South American country but now faces the dilemma of how to get there from the London embassy.

The embassy enjoys diplomatic status and is legally classed as Ecuadorian soil. Were he able to get into a diplomatic car to take him to the airport he would be protected from arrest but the embassy is on building’s the first floor, with the only entrance guarded by police officers.

In a dramatic development last night, Mr Assange announced he would read a statement in front of the embassy on Sunday afternoon.

Earlier, hundreds of supporters had gathered outside the embassy to voice their support for the Wikileaks founder.

Mr Hague, however, said the decision to grant asylum was “a matter of regret” and insisted diplomatic immunity should not be used harbour alleged criminals.

Earlier the Richmond MP had warned the move “does not change the fundamentals” of the case and the stand-off could go on for some “considerable” time.

“We will not allow Mr Assange safe passage out of the United Kingdom, nor is there any legal basis for us to do so,” he said.

Mr Hague dismissed Ecuadorian claims they had been threatened with an “attack” on their embassy.

Earlier Ecuadorian ministers had accused the UK of threatening to attack the embassy to seize Mr Assange, after it emerged that the Diplomatic and Consular Premises Act 1987 could allow revocation of a building’s diplomatic status if the foreign power occupying it “ceases to use land for the purposes of its mission or exclusively for the purposes of a consular post”.

“There is no threat here to storm an embassy. We are talking about an act of parliament in this country which stresses that it must be used in full conformity with international law,” Mr Hague said.

Ecuador’s foreign affairs minister, Ricardo Patino, claimed Mr Assange was being persecuted for political reasons because of the disclosure of documents by WikiLeaks, with his human rights at risk and fears over further “repression and intimidation” by countries affected by the disclosures.

“Ecuador is sure that there is a real threat of him being extradited to a third country, without any guarantees. He would be subject to cruel treatment,” Mr Patino said in his press conference in Quito.

The Foreign Secretary denied any deal that would see Mr Assange extradited to the US. “We have no arrangement with the United States. This is the United Kingdom fulfilling its obligations under the Extradition Act to Sweden, a close partner in so many ways, a fellow democracy in the European Union.

“It is as simple as that. Therefore to us it is a simple matter of carrying out our law but, as well as being simple, it is something we must do. We absolutely must fulfil our obligations under the Extradition Act. Therefore, we are determined to do so and we remain determined to do so despite the regrettable announcement that Ecuador has made today.”

The Ecuadorian government has conducted lengthy diplomatic talks with the UK, Swedish and US governments, Mr Patino said. None could give the guarantees about Mr Assange’s future that the his country was seeking or showed willingness to negotiate.

Mr Assange said he was “grateful” to Ecuador and its president Rafael Correa. He has been in contact with politicians in the South American country for some time and interviewed Mr Correa in April, during which the leader welcomed him to “the club of the persecuted”.

The Swedish Foreign Ministry said it had summoned Ecuador’s ambassador. A spokesman said: “We want to tell them that it’s unacceptable that Ecuador is trying to stop the Swedish judicial process.”

Last year, Ecuador expelled US ambassador Heather Hodges after WikiLeaks released a cable in which she suggested President Correa was aware of corruption allegations against a senior police officer he promoted.