Ecuador diplomat will speak to Assange

Published on 23/06/2012 23:47

THE Ecuadorian ambassador is understood to be flying out to her nation’s capital this weekend for talks on WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

The 40-year-old Australian is seeking political asylum in Ecuador to prevent him being extradited to Sweden and has been at the country’s embassy in London since Tuesday. Assange faces allegations of sex crimes in the Scandinavian country, which he denies.

Ambassador Anna Alban, who met the government on Wednesday, is due to discuss the matter in Quito. A spokesman at the embassy would not officially confirm the visit “until she is on the plane”.

Assange faces arrest for breaching the terms of his bail if he leaves the Ecuadorian embassy.

The South American country says he is under its protection while it considers the application, which comes after his failed bid to avoid extradition to Sweden under a European arrest warrant to face sex crime allegations.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirmed that he was “beyond the reach of the police” while he remains in the building.

Assange’s move to claim asylum is the latest twist in a marathon legal battle. He faces accusations of raping a woman and sexually molesting and coercing another in Stockholm in August 2010.

Assange, whose website has published leaked diplomatic cables that embarrassed several governments and businesses, says the sex was consensual and the allegations are politically motivated.