Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

Assange predicts year long stay at Ecuador embassy

September 15, 2012 14:34 IST

Already almost 100 days in near isolation in the heart of London, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange predicts he may have to "spend up to year" of being holed up in Ecuador's embassy in London.

I am here to be inside for "six to 12 months", Assange breaking his silence in weeks, told on interview broadcast in Ecuador, the BBC reported.

Fighting extradition to Sweden over sex assault cases, Assange who created ripples worldwide by leaking out sensitive American diplomatic cables said he believes his fight "will be solved through diplomacy."

"I think the situation will be solved through diplomacy, or through an unusual world occurrence that we cannot predict, like war with Iran, the US election, or the Swedish government could drop the case," he speculated.

He added that he believes the third outcome was the most probable.

He added: "The Swedish government could drop the case. I think this is the most likely scenario. Maybe after a thorough investigation of what happened they could drop the case. I think this will be solved in between six and 12 months. That's what I estimate."

BBC quoted the British Foreign Secretary William Hague as saying there is "no solution in sight" to resolving Assange's extradition row.

Hague stressed that the UK was not threatening to storm the Ecuadorian embassy -- he said he was looking for an "amicable solution".

He said: "Given Ecuador's position on what they call diplomatic asylum and our very clear legal position, such a solution is not in sight at the moment."

© Copyright 2024 PTI. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of PTI content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent.