LONDON, June 21: Julian Assange spent a third day inside Ecuador's London embassy on Thursday, as hopes appeared to recede of an imminent end to a bizarre legal and diplomatic standoff sparked by the WikiLeaks founder's request for political asylum.    

Ecuador's deputy foreign minister, Marco Albuja, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation late on Wednesday that President Rafael Correa would make a decision within the day. But WikiLeaks spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson said “it could take hours, it could take days” before a decision was made.

Speaking after visiting Assange on Thursday, he said Ecuador had asked for information from Britain, Sweden and the United States and would study it before making a decision.

Ecuador's London embassy confirmed a decision was expected from Ecuador's capital, Quito, but spokeswoman Priscilla Kohn said it was unclear whether it would come on Thursday.—AP