“There have been initial discussions between these two countries [Sweden and Ecuador] to maybe make a general agreement which will be then suitable for this particular [Julian Assange] case,” Fredrik Berg said.
“The discussions are ongoing right now, and concern the general agreement between the countries. The Swedish government can’t make an agreement for one case only, so that is what that is a general agreement discussion right now.”
He underlined that the Swedish prosecutor has been trying to organize a travel to London to interview Assange, but to do so an agreement with the Ecuadorian government is first needed.
Berg explained that the request for an interview was sent in May, and it is now up to Ecuador to clear the permission for the interview with Assange, who already gave his consent to the interrogation in London.
“The agreement is now maybe on the way to being signed or discussed at least by the Swedish foreign office and the Ecuadorian government offices. So that is why it is not in the prosecutor’s hands right now, so as soon as the permission to interview Mr. Assange is cleared, the prosecutor will go to London and interview Mr. Assange,” Berg said.
Ecuador granted Assange asylum on August 16, 2012, helping him to avoid prosecution in the United States, where he could face multiple espionage charges for leaking classified US documents, if extradited.
