Embassy of Ecuador, London

Embassy of Ecuador in London
Location Knightsbridge, London
Address Flat 3b, 3 Hans Crescent, London SW1X 0LS
Ambassador Carlos Abad Ortiz

The embassy of Ecuador in London is the diplomatic mission of Ecuador in the United Kingdom.[1] It is headed by the ambassador of Ecuador to the United Kingdom. It is located in the Knightsbridge district in a building it shares with the Embassy of Colombia, near Harrods, Hyde Park, and Hans Place, precisely at 3 Hans Crescent[2] at the intersection of Basil Street, and it is served by the Knightsbridge station.[3]

The Ecuadorian embassy is the temporary home of the Australian editor, activist, publisher and journalist Julian Assange, who initially entered it on 19 June 2012 claiming diplomatic asylum,[4][5][6] which was granted by the Ecuadorian government on 16 August 2012.[5][7][8]

The embassy is charged with representing the interests of the president and government of Ecuador, improving diplomatic relations between Ecuador and the accredited countries, promoting and improving the image and standing of Ecuador in the accredited nations, promoting the culture of Ecuador, encouraging and facilitating tourism to and from Ecuador, and ensuring the safety of Ecuadorians abroad.

The structure that houses the embassy is a white stucco-fronted red-brick building on Hans Crescent in the Knightsbridge area of London. The embassy is a suite of rooms occupying part of the ground floor of the building, which has been described as an "apartment block".[5]

Ecuador also maintains a consulate at 144-146 Kings Cross Road, London WC1X 9DU[9] and an Office of the Naval Assistant and Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization at 61 Wimbledon Hill Road, Wimbledon, London.[1]

Julian Assange's refuge

Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian embassy in August 2012.

As of October 2016, the Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange is still resident in the embassy, after initially entering it on 19 June 2012 claiming diplomatic asylum after being wanted in Sweden for questioning over four alleged sexual offences.[4][5][6] Assange's asylum request was eventually granted by the Ecuadorian government on 16 August 2012.[5][7][8]

The British government had suggested it could use its discretionary powers under the Diplomatic and Consular Premises Act 1987 to enter the embassy and arrest Assange[6] after giving the embassy due notice. However, it later retracted the suggestion, following condemnation from Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño and President Rafael Correa.[10] Patiño described the British government's statement as "a clear breach of international law and the protocols set out in the Vienna Convention."[11]

Press outside the embassy in August 2012

On 16 August 2012, both police and protesters gathered outside the embassy, with reports of minor scuffles between the two groups and arrests of some of the protesters.[12] On 19 August 2012, Assange made a speech from a low[13] balcony of the embassy.[14] Assange's remarks were prefaced by a statement from Baltasar Garzón, who is heading his legal team.[14] This was followed by protests in Ecuador outside the British embassy in Quito, as well as support for Correa's approval of the asylum request.[10]

On 22 August 2012, the Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa stated that Assange would be allowed to stay in the embassy indefinitely, but that Ecuador would be open to negotiations with the British government if it withdrew its threats to storm the embassy.[15][16]

In August 2014, Assange called a press conference and announced he would be leaving the embassy "soon".[17]

Press photographs taken outside the embassy were reported to have shown police notes stating that Assange was to be arrested "under all circumstances".[18] The policing of the embassy during the first two years of Assange's stay has cost £6.5 million.[19] Before the police guard was lifted in February 2015, costs of policing Julian Assange had reached £10 million.[20]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "The London Diplomatic List" (PDF). 7 December 2013.
  2. ↑ "Misiones de Colombia en el Exterior: Reino Unido" (in Spanish). Colombia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  3. ↑ "3 Hans Crescent". Google Maps. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  4. 1 2 John Paul Rathbone (2012-08-15). "Assuaging Assange". Financial Times. Retrieved 2012-08-16.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Neuman, William; Ayala, Maggy (16 August 2012). "Ecuador Grants Asylum to Assange, Defying Britain". New York Times. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 "Julian Assange: UK issues 'threat' to arrest Wikileaks founder". BBC News. 2012-08-15. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
  7. 1 2 BBCNews. "Julian Assange: Ecuador grants Wikileaks founder asylum". BBC News Online. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  8. 1 2 Declaración del Gobierno de la República del Ecuador sobre la solicitud de asilo de Julian Assange (Spanish)
  9. ↑ http://www.ecuadorembassyuk.org.uk/announcements/important-notice-the-consulate-of-ecuador-in-london-has-a-new-home
  10. 1 2 "Ecuadorians rally behind Assange asylum bid". Al Jazeera. 21 August 2012.
  11. ↑ Hastings, Rob; PA (16 August 2012). "British government 'threat to enter Ecuadorian embassy and arrest Julian Assange'". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 2012-08-16.
  12. ↑ "Assange: Fighting Erupts Outside Embassy". Sky News. 16 August 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-16.
  13. ↑ "Julian Assange, the balcony Bolívar of Knightsbridge". The Guardian. 19 August 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  14. 1 2 "Julian Assange statement at Ecuadorean embassy - live". The Guardian. 19 August 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
  15. ↑ "Ecuador says Julian Assange can stay at embassy indefinitely". er=Daily Telegraph. 2012-08-22. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  16. ↑ Jonathan Watts (2012-08-22). "Julian Assange sex claims not a crime in Latin America – Ecuador president". The Guardian. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  17. ↑ "Julian Assange claims to be soon leaving Ecuadorian embassy in London". Big News Network.com. 18 August 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  18. ↑ Damien Pearse (2012-08-24). "Julian Assange arrest plan revealed accidentally". The Guardian. Retrieved 2012-08-25.
  19. ↑ "Policing Assange Embassy Has Cost £6.5m". LBC News. June 18, 2014. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Julian Assange: Costs of policing Wikileaks founder reach £10m". BBC News. February 4, 2015. Retrieved February 4, 2015.

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