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Diplomatic stand-off as Assange granted asylum to escape extradition to Sweden
Julian Assange has been granted asylum by Ecuador despite the UK Government threatening to withdraw the embassy's diplomatic status.
The issue now remains to be seen is if the UK Government will use the Diplomatic and Consular Premises Act 1987 so that police can enter the premises and arrest Assange for breaching his bail terms.
Read more: Wikileaks news
It is also not clear if Wikileaks founder Assange would be able to reach an airport to fly to Ecuador withough being arrested; the Government has not granted safe passage and therefore police could arrest him once he left the embassy.
The Foreign Office said although it was "disappointed" by the statement issued by Ecuador's foreign minister, Ricardo Patino, it remained committed to reaching a negotiated settlement.
But it added: "Under our law, with Mr Assange having exhausted all options of appeal, the British authorities are under a binding obligation to extradite him to Sweden.
"We shall carry out that obligation. The Ecuadorean government's decision this afternoon does not change that."
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