Ecuador tells Assange not to make inflammatory statements

Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-23 11:12:02|Editor: pengying
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QUITO, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- Ecuador on Wednesday demanded that the founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, who has been under asylum at its embassy in London since 2012, abstain from making statements that could affect the country's foreign relations.

The Foreign Ministry made this statement after Assange expressed his view on the recent independence movement in Spain's region of Catalonia.

In a videoconference in September, Assange said that Catalonia's desire for independence was extending around the world.

The Ecuadorean Foreign Ministry said that Assange's words "did not represent the position of the Ecuadorian state."

"The Ecuadorian authorities have reiterated to Mr. Assange his obligation not to make declarations or activities that might affect Ecuador's international relations...which must be preserved, as happened with Spain," read the statement.

It continued to highlight the "historical and cultural ties" uniting Spain and Ecuador, as well as "mutual respect, friendship between the people and bilateral cooperation."

The Foreign Ministry noted that Assange had formally committed to behaving in a way which was compatible with the goals of Ecuador.

It reiterated Ecuador's commitment not to intervene in the internal affairs of other countries.

However, it added that Ecuador stood by its decision to maintain the asylum offer to Assange, extended in 2012, and its decision to protect him based on international law.

The United States is seeking to try Assange for espionage after WikiLeaks published thousands of confidential American documents in 2010.

He was also being sought by Sweden for allegations of sexual assault but the Swedish prosecutor-general abandoned the case on May 19.

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