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Ecuador wants to resume dialogue with UK over Assange’s future

Ecuador's foreign minister believes it is necessary to resume the dialogue with Britain for settling the issue of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

MOSCOW, May 16. /TASS/. Ecuador's Foreign Minister Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces believes it is necessary to resume the dialogue with Britain for settling the issue of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

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"We would like to find a solution for Assange to settle his difficult situation. It goes without saying that the main factor is to ensure the observance of human rights," she said while answering students’ questions at the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Diplomatic Academy in Moscow. "It is necessary to resume the dialogue with Britain on the condition of respect for all norms of international law, state laws and Assange’s own right to the freedom of movement.

Assange in 2012 asked Ecuador’s embassy in London for asylum in order to avoid extradition to Sweden, which had issued a warrant for his arrest on sexual harassment and rape charges. Assange dismissed the accusations as politically motivated. His worst fear was Sweden might deport him to the United States, where he would face 35 years in prison or capital punishment for publishing secret documents of the Department of State. Since that moment Assange has remained on the premises of the Ecuadoran embassy in London.

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The European Commission suggested introducing duties on agricultural products from Russia and Belarus earlier

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Palestinian envoy says Israel plans to destroy Palestine

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Iran suspends flights above several cities amid reports of air attack — IRNA

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G7 foreign ministers set to call on all sides to exercise restraint in Middle East

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Germany fails to present evidence in case of espionage suspects — Russian embassy

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EU border checkpoint closest to Russia’s St. Petersburg to cut its working hours

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Polish premier refuses to hand over his country’s Patriot systems to Ukraine

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Tehran’s two major airports cancel international flights — Mehr

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Russian investigators start inquiry into financing of terrorism by US, NATO officials

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