Politics Australia's prime minister: Assange on his way

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange will continue to receive consular assistance after his release from prison, according to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

"I want to say that the Australian government has continued to provide consular support to Mr. Assange, through the High Commissioner to the UK, Stephen Smith, who accompanied Mr. Assange on his departure from the UK, and through the Ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, who is also providing important support," Albanese said on Tuesday.

According to Wikileaks, Mr. Assange boarded a plane at London Stansted on Monday afternoon. A court hearing is due to take place on Wednesday in the Northern Mariana Islands - a US territory in the Western Pacific - at which an agreement on his release could be reached with the US judicial authorities.

Albanese has repeatedly campaigned for a solution to the case in recent years. Assange spent five years in a prison in London. The USA had previously demanded Assange's extradition. However, Assange has now negotiated an agreement with the US Department of Justice under which he will plead guilty in part in exchange for being spared further imprisonment in the US, according to court documents released on Monday evening US East Coast time.

"There is nothing to be gained by his continued detention and we want him returned to Australia," Albanese said. "We have been advocating for Australia's interests and using all appropriate channels to achieve a positive outcome." As soon as the court case is finally concluded, he will comment in more detail, the Prime Minister emphasized. He hoped that this would be the case very soon.

High Commissioners have the function of ambassadors within the Commonwealth.