Russia urges Snowden to pick a place to go
Source: AFP |
July 5, 2013, Friday
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EDWARD Snowden should find another country to seek refuge, a Russian official said yesterday, after signalling Moscow's growing impatience over the former US spy agency contractor's lengthening stay at a Moscow airport.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Russia had received no request for political asylum from Snowden and he had to solve his problems himself after 11 days in the transit area of Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport since revealing details of secret US government surveillance programs.
President Vladimir Putin has refused to extradite the American urged Snowden, to leave as soon as he can.
"He needs to choose a place to go," Ryabkov said. "As of this moment, we do not have a formal application from Mr Snowden asking for asylum in the Russian Federation."
Ryabkov told Itar-Tass news agency separately that Russia "cannot solve anything for him" and the situation should now be resolved "one way or the other."
Putin said on Monday that Snowden could be granted asylum by Moscow only if he agreed to stop actions that could harm the United States.
Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that Snowden had withdrawn his interest in asylum in Russia after Putin spelled out the terms. His options have narrowed further since then as no country has agreed to grant him asylum.
Russian officials have kept Snowden at arm's length since he landed from Hong Kong on June 23, saying the transit area where passengers stay between flights is neutral territory and he will be on Russian soil only if he goes through passport control.
"We continue to talk with the Russian government every day (about Snowden), absolutely every day, including myself," US Ambassador Michael McFaul told reporters. "We hope to resolve this in a way that we want to have it ended and so far we're very happy with our interactions with the Russian government."
Russia has, however, revelled in the diplomatic fallout since Bolivian President Evo Morales was held up on his way home from an energy meeting in Moscow because a number of European countries refused initially to let his plane into their airspace over suspicions that Snowden was on board.
Bolivia blamed the delays on Washington and the Russian Foreign Ministry criticized three European Union member states.
"The actions of the authorities of France, Spain and Portugal could hardly be considered friendly actions towards Bolivia," it said. "Russia calls on the international community to comply strictly with international legal principles."
In Rome Foreign Minister Emma Bonino said yesterday Italy cannot accept an asylum request from Snowden because there are no legal or political conditions to do so.
"The request for political asylum was lodged two days ago via a fax sent to the Italian embassy," Bonino said in an address to parliament. "The rules require that the asylum-seeker needs to present himself personally" either to the embassy or on Italian territory.
"The conditions are not there to accept it, nor is it possible for the Italian government from a political point of view," she said.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Russia had received no request for political asylum from Snowden and he had to solve his problems himself after 11 days in the transit area of Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport since revealing details of secret US government surveillance programs.
President Vladimir Putin has refused to extradite the American urged Snowden, to leave as soon as he can.
"He needs to choose a place to go," Ryabkov said. "As of this moment, we do not have a formal application from Mr Snowden asking for asylum in the Russian Federation."
Ryabkov told Itar-Tass news agency separately that Russia "cannot solve anything for him" and the situation should now be resolved "one way or the other."
Putin said on Monday that Snowden could be granted asylum by Moscow only if he agreed to stop actions that could harm the United States.
Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that Snowden had withdrawn his interest in asylum in Russia after Putin spelled out the terms. His options have narrowed further since then as no country has agreed to grant him asylum.
Russian officials have kept Snowden at arm's length since he landed from Hong Kong on June 23, saying the transit area where passengers stay between flights is neutral territory and he will be on Russian soil only if he goes through passport control.
"We continue to talk with the Russian government every day (about Snowden), absolutely every day, including myself," US Ambassador Michael McFaul told reporters. "We hope to resolve this in a way that we want to have it ended and so far we're very happy with our interactions with the Russian government."
Russia has, however, revelled in the diplomatic fallout since Bolivian President Evo Morales was held up on his way home from an energy meeting in Moscow because a number of European countries refused initially to let his plane into their airspace over suspicions that Snowden was on board.
Bolivia blamed the delays on Washington and the Russian Foreign Ministry criticized three European Union member states.
"The actions of the authorities of France, Spain and Portugal could hardly be considered friendly actions towards Bolivia," it said. "Russia calls on the international community to comply strictly with international legal principles."
In Rome Foreign Minister Emma Bonino said yesterday Italy cannot accept an asylum request from Snowden because there are no legal or political conditions to do so.
"The request for political asylum was lodged two days ago via a fax sent to the Italian embassy," Bonino said in an address to parliament. "The rules require that the asylum-seeker needs to present himself personally" either to the embassy or on Italian territory.
"The conditions are not there to accept it, nor is it possible for the Italian government from a political point of view," she said.
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