APP said that officials from Sweden and Ecuador have met to discuss an agreement on “legal assistance” in criminal cases, which could have implications for the long-running stand off involving WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

“It will serve as a bridge between our two legal systems,” Cecilia Riddselius of the Swedish Justice Ministry told the DPA newswire.

Julian Assange is wanted for questioning by Swedish authorities in relation to a suspected rape in 2010. He denies the allegation.

The 43-year-old Australian Wikileaks founder has been living inside Ecuador’s embassy in London since June 2012 to avoid extradition.