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AAP
AAP
Alex Mitchell

PM confirms Assange was raised with President Biden

Anthony Albanese has confirmed he raised the issue of jailed activist Julian Assange with Joe Biden. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)

Anthony Albanese raised the case of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange with US President Joe Biden, repeating his stance that the Australian's detention should be "brought to a conclusion".

The prime minister confirmed reports he'd used time in Washington to discuss the case, but did not call on the president to step in and order the case be dropped.

"Joe Biden doesn't interfere with the Department of Justice, Joe Biden is a president who understands the separation of the judicial system from the political system," he told ABC TV on Sunday.

"That's an important principle."

But Mr Albanese reiterated his belief the activist should be freed, again declaring "enough is enough".

Assange lived in London's Ecuadorian embassy between 2012 and 2019 after being granted political asylum, but has been in a high-security prison in England for the four years since, fighting extradition to the US.

He is facing 17 espionage charges after WIkiLeaks published a haul of classified documents more than a decade ago, including hundred of thousands of US diplomatic correspondence.

Mr Albanese wouldn't outline his conversations with the president, and wouldn't say if Assange and the US should organise a plea deal.

"We keep our discussions private," he said.

"I make clear Australia's position that I made as Labor leader, it's the same position I hold as prime minister, which is that enough is enough.

"It is time that this issue was brought to a conclusion … Australian officials are working very hard to achieve an outcome which is consistent with the position that I've put."

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