Julian Assange has described life in the Ecuadorian Embassy as like “being in a space station”

Julian Assange has used time living as a refugee at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London to oversee the release today of an analysis by WikiLeaks of 1.7 million US diplomatic reports.

The founder of the whistleblowing website said it was releasing US diplomatic records from the beginning of 1973 to the end of 1976, including cables, intelligence reports and congressional correspondence.

But unlike the earlier controversial release of confidential US diplomatic cables, this time the documents are already in the public domain.

Mr Assange, 41, was granted asylum in the embassy last summer to avoid extradition to Sweden to face sexual offence claims by two women — charges he denies.

The Australian has said he is refusing to return to Sweden because he fears it