JULIAN Assange has addressed the UN, calling for an end to the persecution of WikiLeaks, after reports they had become enemies of the US.

Assange spoke about the ethical and legal aspects of diplomatic asylum on a video link from Ecuador, where he has been granted asylum.



"We commend and agree with the words that peace can be achieved… But the time for words has run out," he said.



"It is time for the US to cease its persecution of WikiLeaks, our people and our sources.



Assange also mentioned Bradley Manning, the US private accused of supplying WikiLeaks with hundreds of sensitive diplomatic and military cables.



Assange accused the US government of detaining Manning without charge and mistreating him.



The WikiLeaks founder told a UN panel that Pte Manning, accused of "death penalty crimes", was "degraded, abused and psychologically tortured".

The US military has now put Assange and WikiLeaks in the same legal category as the al-Qaeda terrorist network and the Taliban, Fairfax reports.



Declassified US Air Force counter-intelligence documents revealed military personnel who contact WikiLeaks or WikiLeaks supporters may be at risk of being charged with "communicating with the enemy", a military crime that carries a maximum sentence of death.

The revelation comes as an official from the Ecuadorian embassy in London said foreign minister Ricardo Patino was planning to meet UK Foreign Secretary William Hague while they both attended the UN general meeting in New York.

"We hope that meeting will mark the beginning of a new chapter in seeking a solution to the present situation," the official said.

"For the part of the Ecuadorian government we are more than willing to find an amicable answer that respects the values of international human rights and the integrity of sovereign nations,'' he said.

Mr Hague said earlier this week that he had held talks with Ecuador's Vice President, Lenin Moreno, in August over the Australian activist and that negotiations would continue.

"I've seen no sign of any breakthrough since our meeting,'' Hague said.

"The position was to uphold the law in the United Kingdom. That remains the position. This may go on for some time.''

The meeting in New York would come 100 days after Assange dramatically sought refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy after he exhausted all avenues of avoiding extradition to Sweden to face questioning over an alleged sexual assault.

Mr Assange fears the extradition will lead to his extradition to the United States where he could face interrogation over leaking secret defence and diplomatic documents.

Originally published as Assange: 'Time for words has run out'