CANBERRA, Australia (AP) 鈥 U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday pushed back against Australian demands for an end to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange鈥檚 prosecution, saying the Australian citizen was accused of 鈥渧ery serious criminal conduct鈥 in publishing a trove of classified documents more than a decade ago.
Australia鈥檚 center-left Labor Party government has been arguing since winning the elections last year that the United States should end its pursuit of the 52-year-old, who has spent four years in a British prison fighting extradition to the United States.
Assange鈥檚 freedom is widely seen as a test of Australia鈥檚 leverage with President Joe Biden鈥檚 administration.
Blinken confirmed on Saturday that Assange had been discussed in annual talks with Foreign Minister Penny Wong in Brisbane, Australia.
鈥淚 understand the concerns and views of Australians. I think it鈥檚 very important that our friends here understand our concerns about this matter,鈥 Blinken told reporters.
鈥淢r. Assange was charged with very serious criminal conduct in the United States in connection with his alleged role in one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of our country,鈥 he added.
Wong said Assange鈥檚 prosecution had 鈥渄ragged for too long鈥 and that Australia wanted the charges 鈥渂rought to a conclusion.鈥
about whether the United States should drop the prosecution or strike a plea bargain.
Assange faces 17 charges of espionage and one charge of computer misuse over WikiLeaks鈥 publication of of hundreds of thousands of classified diplomatic and military documents in 2010.
American prosecutors allege he helped U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning steal classified diplomatic cables and military files that WikiLeaks later published, putting lives at risk.
Australia argues there is a 鈥渄isconnect鈥 between the U.S. treatment of Assange and Manning. Then-U.S. President Barack Obama to seven years, which allowed her release in 2017.
