He said the Government's allegations constitute "technical violations" and said he had been working with the F.D.A. to correct them.

The report said that some allegations, if true, would constitute perjury.

"The point is that the allegations constitute possible evidence of serious war crimes that have to be investigated properly," said an official of the embassy.

"However, if proven true, the allegations in Judge Starr's report, such as witness tampering and lying under oath to the grand jury, do constitute impeachable offenses."

Do these allegations, if proven, constitute impeachable offenses?

The report surmised that the allegations in the report "may constitute violations of international humanitarian law and/or crimes against humanity, and...human rights abuses".

"Such allegations constitute a tragic error in judgment, and in no way advance the solution of the problems of Auschwitz," he wrote.

In a statement, the chairman, Assemblyman Herman D. Farrell Jr., said that the allegations, if true, "would constitute a major breach of the public trust."

Independent legal opinion in England has said that the allegations against Mr Assange would not constitute rape under English law.