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PUTIN ACCUSES US OF 'TRAPPING' SNOWDEN IN RUSSIA
13:40 16/07/2013 " IN THE WORLD
Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the United States of trapping
US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden in Moscow, saying he would
leave Russia as soon as possible, AFP reported.
"As soon as there's the chance to move somewhere he will certainly
do this," Putin said in televised remarks.
"He arrived on our territory uninvited, he did not fly to us, he was
flying in transit to other countries," Putin said.
"But as soon as he was in the air, it became known, and our American
partners essentially blocked off his further flight."
These were Putin's first public remarks since Snowden met with several
rights activists and lawyers Friday at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport,
where he is stranded.
Snowden arrived in Moscow from Hong Kong on June 23 and the US revoked
his passport the same day.
Booked on a June 24 flight from Moscow to Havana, Cuba, he never
boarded the plane. Snowden has been stranded in the airport's transit
zone since then.
Putin said of the United States: "They themselves scared off all
the other countries, no one wants to take him, and therefore they
essentially themselves trapped him on our territory.
"A nice gift to us for Christmas," he told Russian reporters travelling
with him on a visit to the island of Gogland in the Gulf of Finland.
He did not know what would become of Snowden. "How would I know?
That's his life, his fate," the president said.
But he did note a change in position by the former NSA contractor.
Snowden announced on Friday that he did, after all, want to apply
for asylum in Russia until he could travel on to Latin America,
where several countries have offered him asylum.
He had withdrawn his initial application after Putin said earlier this
month that Snowden could claim asylum in Russia only if he stopped
his leaks.
When Snowden announced Friday he was renewing his application, he
said he had promised not to harm US interests in the future.
"Judging by his latest statement, he is somewhat changing his
position," said Putin. "But the situation has not been finally
clarified so far."
He said nothing about whether or not Snowden's application would
be accepted.
Source: Panorama.am
13:40 16/07/2013 " IN THE WORLD
Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the United States of trapping
US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden in Moscow, saying he would
leave Russia as soon as possible, AFP reported.
"As soon as there's the chance to move somewhere he will certainly
do this," Putin said in televised remarks.
"He arrived on our territory uninvited, he did not fly to us, he was
flying in transit to other countries," Putin said.
"But as soon as he was in the air, it became known, and our American
partners essentially blocked off his further flight."
These were Putin's first public remarks since Snowden met with several
rights activists and lawyers Friday at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport,
where he is stranded.
Snowden arrived in Moscow from Hong Kong on June 23 and the US revoked
his passport the same day.
Booked on a June 24 flight from Moscow to Havana, Cuba, he never
boarded the plane. Snowden has been stranded in the airport's transit
zone since then.
Putin said of the United States: "They themselves scared off all
the other countries, no one wants to take him, and therefore they
essentially themselves trapped him on our territory.
"A nice gift to us for Christmas," he told Russian reporters travelling
with him on a visit to the island of Gogland in the Gulf of Finland.
He did not know what would become of Snowden. "How would I know?
That's his life, his fate," the president said.
But he did note a change in position by the former NSA contractor.
Snowden announced on Friday that he did, after all, want to apply
for asylum in Russia until he could travel on to Latin America,
where several countries have offered him asylum.
He had withdrawn his initial application after Putin said earlier this
month that Snowden could claim asylum in Russia only if he stopped
his leaks.
When Snowden announced Friday he was renewing his application, he
said he had promised not to harm US interests in the future.
"Judging by his latest statement, he is somewhat changing his
position," said Putin. "But the situation has not been finally
clarified so far."
He said nothing about whether or not Snowden's application would
be accepted.
Source: Panorama.am