Solution to Assange impasse proposed

Colette Browne’s well-written Opinion piece (Aug 29) is the latest reworking of a now standard model argument against Assange’s position, to which every contributing journalist hones and polishes the reasoning in an attempt to make it a little more convincing.

The argument becomes less effective daily, however, thanks to the sheer scale of the UK government’s ongoing operation outside the Ecuadorian embassy, which is out of all proportion to the standard model interpretation of this story. Major international criminals would be lucky to have this much money and time expended on them, let alone the petulant minnow referred to by Ms Browne.

Besides, the situation is much easier to resolve than is being made out. For Assange to be safe there is no need to guarantee him he won’t be extradited to the US, or to interview him in the UK. He needs only to be guaranteed that he will be returned to the UK from Sweden when the Swedes have finished with him, and this is not difficult.

Sweden has issued an EAW (European Arrest Warrant) against Assange on charges of rape. The UK wants him on charges of breaching his bail. So the UK could easily propose — to both Sweden and Assange — that he be delivered to Sweden, accompanied by a British EAW on the bail-breach charges. This would take priority over any onward extradition request from the US, and would guarantee Assange the return to UK on which — he believes — his safety depends.

Colin Davis

Buais

France