The UK government has agreed to meet a senior Ecuadorean minister to try to reach an agreement over the future of the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

Ricardo Patino, Ecuador's foreign minister will travel to the UK later this month on the eve of the first anniversary of Assange's dramatic arrival at the Ecuadorean embassy in London.

He will meet Assange, and his offer to hold talks with the UK foreign secretary, William Hague, has been accepted.

The Australian has been inside the embassy since 19 June last year and has since been granted political asylum. He is wanted for questioning in Sweden over allegations of sexual offences by two women, which he denies.

Assange fears he will be extradited to the United States for questioning over the publication by WikiLeaks of confidential information if he travels to Sweden.

Patino will arrive in London a few days before the anniversary of Assange's arrival at the embassy.