Julian Assange will not be allowed safe passage out of the United Kingdom, Foreign Secretary William Hague said last night as he warned that diplomatic immunity should not be used to harbour alleged criminals.
Mr Hague said it was a "matter of regret" that the Ecuadorian government decided to grant the Wikileaks founder political asylum but warned that it "does not change the fundamentals" of the case.
Speaking at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, he also warned that the case could go on for some "considerable" time.
Mr Hague said Mr Assange's rights were "guaranteed" and this should be enough for Ecuador.
He said: "We are committed to work with Ecuador amicably... we cannot give safe passage to somebody in this situation.
"We would not agree to safe passage to someone granted asylum in these circumstances.
"It could (go on for months or years). It is, above all, a difficulty for Ecuador and for Mr Assange but this is a strange position for an embassy to be in. Diplomatic immunity exists to allow embassies and diplomats to exercise proper diplomatic functions and the harbouring of alleged criminals, or frustrating the due legal process in a country, is not a permitted function.
"We will continue to work at it to try to bring a solution about."
Mr Hague said there "are no time limits" to resolving the situation but Britain remained determined to fulfil its obligations under the extradition act.
The Foreign Secretary confirmed he had authorised the communications with Ecuador, including the highlighting of British laws which allow the suspension of normal embassy rules, potentially allowing the police to enter the building and arrest Mr Assange.
Mr Hague dismissed Ecuadorian claims that they had been threatened with an "attack" on their embassy.
"There is no threat here to storm an embassy. We are talking about an Act of Parliament in this country which stresses that it must be used in full conformity with international law," he said.
The Foreign Secretary denied claims by Mr Assange and his supporters that there was a deal which would see him extradited to the United States.
He said: "We have no arrangement with the United States. This is the United Kingdom fulfilling its obligations under the Extradition Act to Sweden."