Ecuador embassy raid crossed line, top UN court told

THE HAGUE

Ecuador's early April raid on Mexico's embassy to seize a former top Ecuadoran official crossed a line and set a dangerous precedent for global diplomatic relations, the U.N.'s top court heard on Tuesday.

Ecuadoran security forces stormed the Mexican embassy in a late night raid on April 5 to arrest former Vice President Jorge Glas, who is wanted on corruption charges and had been granted asylum by Mexico.

"There are lines in international law which should not be crossed," Mexico's representative told judges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

"Regrettably, Ecuador has crossed that line," Alejandro Celorio Alcantara told the Hague-based court, where Mexico filed a case against Quito.

Quito's rare incursion on diplomatic territory sparked an international outcry, and led Mexico to break ties with Ecuador and pull its diplomats out of the country.

on Tuesday, Celorio warned the raid by special forces, of which images were shown in the courtroom, set a "disconcerting" precedent.

"At the core of this case lies not only the egregious transgression against Mexico, but also the legal certainty of every other sovereign state, international organization and tribunal in that sacrosanct principle that governs the inviolability of diplomatic premises," he said.

The operation "created a disconcerting precedent that resonates throughout the international community," Celorio said.

Lawyers and representatives from both countries will for two days state their cases before the ICJ, which rules in disputes against countries.

Ecuador on Monday filed its own case against Mexico, accusing the Central American state of "blatantly abusing" its diplomatic mission to harbor Glas, which Quito considered a fugitive from the law.