Ecuador hits back at UK criticism over Julian Assange …

Julian Assange with Ecuadors foreign minister, Ricardo Patino (left) inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Photograph: John Stillwell/AP

Ecuador has hit back at the British government over who is to blame for the deadlocked case of the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

The Australian has been living in the Ecuadorian embassy in London for more than three years to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he faces allegations of sexual assault.

Three of four investigations were dropped last week after they time-lapsed.

The Foreign Office minister Hugo Swire said Ecuadors decision to harbour Assange had prevented the proper course of justice.

He said the UK continued to have a legal obligation to extradite him to Sweden.

The continuing failure to expedite the Swedish prosecutors interview, and to bring this situation to an end, is being seen as a growing stain on the countrys reputation, he said.

Ecuadors acting foreign minister, Xavier Lasso, said he categorically rejected the accusations. It is not acceptable to try to place the responsibility for the lack of progress in this area over the last five years on Ecuador.

If diplomatic relations had been abused it was the British government that had done so, he said, recalling that it had threatened to violate the immunity of diplomatic premises and maintained a police cordon outside the embassy in London.

The British government has the sole responsibility for such an invasive and unnecessary police deployment, Lasso said.

The republic of Ecuador will not take lessons from any foreign government, least of all those that are unaware of the institution of political asylum, its legitimacy, attached and enshrined in international law, and its humanitarian nature based on the sovereign equality of nations.

Assange fears being taken to the US for questioning over the activities of WikiLeaks.

The police operation to guard the embassy has cost more than 12m.

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Ecuador hits back at UK criticism over Julian Assange ...