However, Mr Assange and his legal advisers appeared to have made an embarrassing error by misunderstanding a basic aspect of the new legislation. <\/p>\n
The Home Office quickly undermined his key claim by confirming the changes would not apply in the case of Mr Assange, who has been a wanted man in Sweden since 2010, because they are not retrospective. <\/p>\n
Mr Assange, 43, is alleged to have raped a woman known as SW, then aged 26, and committed other sexual offences against AA, a 31-year-old woman. <\/p>\n
The Australian claims that if he is extradited to Sweden, he will be sent on to the United States for questioning over WikiLeaks whistle-blowing, which has been accused of publishing material which damages national security. <\/p>\n
Mr Assange, looking pale and haggard, told journalists: \"I can confirm I will be leaving the embassy soon.\" <\/p>\n
However, he said his intended departure was perhaps not driven by reports of his ill-health. <\/p>\n
There was further confusion when a WikiLeaks spokesman at the press conference quickly disputed that Mr Assange would be leaving the embassy imminently. <\/p>\n
Kristinn Hrafnsson said: \"The plan, as always, is to leave as soon as the UK Government decides to honour its obligations in relation to international agreements.\" <\/p>\n
Police officers have been stationed outside the embassy round-the-clock since Mr Assange decided to enter the building voluntarily in June 2012. <\/p>\n
He faces arrest the moment he steps outside the building in Knightsbridge, behind Harrods department store. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n