Kim Hjelmgaard

USA TODAY

LONDON — WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange announced Monday that after spending two years in the Embassy of Ecuador in London he will "soon" leave the diplomatic safe harbor.

He made the comments during a joint press conference with Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino. Assange did not elaborate on the timing or address whether an impasse over his potential extradition had been resolved.

It was suggested in the British press over the weekend that Assange may need hospital treatment for a heart defect and lung condition and that any move could be to remedy those suspected health problems.

However, Assange refused to be drawn on those specific points Monday, saying only that when he does leave it will "probably not" be for the reasons reported on.

WikiLeaks spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson later clarified Assange's claim. Hrafnsson said the issue of Assange's extradition must first be resolved before he can leave.

"The plan is to leave as soon as the U.K. government decides to honor its obligations," Hrafnsson said, referring to guarantees he is seeking over the right to travel to Ecuador.

Still, Assange said that his health has suffered as a result of his confinement.

"It's (the embassy) an environment in which any healthy person would find themselves soon enough with certain difficulties they would have to manage," Assange said. He said the embassy "has no outside areas, no sunlight."

Assange, 43, fled to the embassy in 2012 fearing extradition to the U.S. via Sweden, where authorities want to question him over allegations related to a sexual assault.

Ecuador has granted him refugee status and says it remains committed to his protection, but British police have so far refused to let Assange leave the embassy and it is thought that he would be arrested if he tried to do so.

In 2010, WikiLeaks published a tranche of leaked military and diplomatic cables and Assange has been the subject of an investigation by U.S. authorities.