Russia Warns Britain Against Attacking Ecuador Embassy
Vienna Convention Clear on Not Raiding Embassies
Russia’s Foreign Ministry has issued a statement today warning Britain against attacking the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, saying it was unthinkable for a nation to violate “the spirit and the letter” of the Vienna Convention, which makes diplomatic premises inviolable.
Britain made the threat Wednesday, saying British law allows them to invade embassies to capture people for extradition, in this case WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Ecuador granted Assange diplomatic asylum on Thursday, prompting an emergency meeting of the Organization of American States about the prospect of a British attack on the embassy.
Britain’s parliament passed the law on raiding embassies in 1987, in reaction to the shooting of a British policewoman by someone inside the Libyan embassy. Experts say that the law was meant to allow for “special cases” surrounding imminent violence, and that attacking the Ecuadorean embassy was unlikely.
At the same time, the British government has ruled out allowing Assange to actually leave the embassy and go to Ecuador, setting up a standoff in which he could be forced to live in the embassy for years.
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danton
August 18th, 2012 at 1:50 am
If a country is small and weak you may raid its embassy legally?
curmudgeonvt
August 18th, 2012 at 5:34 am
This world has gotten more and more stupid. I used to think that there was no way that we could possibly devolve to the point where the erasure of the human race could come to pass…but I'm no longer sure.
John Ellis
August 18th, 2012 at 5:40 am
New darkness — Only thing that can force the light of truth to give way
Don’t be too sure it could never happen, as light always forces darkness to give way, Empire USA may continue its brutal imperialism only so long as the new darkness of mainstream media can force old light to give way, and for an absolute, Manning and Julian Assange must be kept in lifetime solitary confinement to terrorize all would be whistle blowers.
Charles Luke
August 18th, 2012 at 9:40 am
The British and the Americans, and most of the rest of NATO are but a continuation of the Viking raiders of the 10th century. These barbarians blast their way in across the world pushing their own tribal customs on peoples who have known civilization for millennia. They push their binge drinking, near-nude dress codes, rule by queens, rampant usury, and the belief that the majority knows best upon other nations as if these were eternal human values. This too will pass. The great cities of these northern tribal plunderers will prove to be little more permanent than the tent cities of their cousins the Mongols.
joan zimmerman
August 18th, 2012 at 3:17 pm
This is not nearly so eloquent as these other comments. However, this is a "crappy crown" country and the USA is a Dictatorshiip, Police state crappy country, Isn't the Queen the wealthiest woman in the world, living off her people. What else does she REALLY DO? "Let them eat cake……….no,…….let them eat NOTHING!
davidgrayling
August 18th, 2012 at 5:55 pm
The British have caught the American disease! It's major symptom is to throw out the rule book and do whatever you like to anyone who stands in your road.
It's an insidious disease that seems to be spreading all over the world. Medics have called it the Terminator Disease and believe it was hatched between copies of Terminator movies.
There is no cure for it presently but some say a few well-directed nukes could be beneficial!
Jaime
August 18th, 2012 at 6:02 pm
Ecuador may be small and weak but it has more huevos than other bigger and stronger countries.