Putin Says Russia Won't Extradite Edward Snowden
MOSCOW—Russian President Vladimir Putin denied a request by American officials to expel National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, who the leader said remains in the transit hall of a Moscow airport and is free to fly wherever he desires.
Russia hands over alleged criminals only to countries with which it has an international agreement, and the U.S. isn't among those, Mr. Putin said by way of explanation. Mr. Snowden doesn't need a Russian visa because he technically is a transit passenger who "thank God has not committed any crimes on the territory of the Russian Federation," Mr. Putin said.
"Mr. Snowden is a free man and the sooner he chooses his final destination, the better it will be for us and him," Mr. Putin said, breaking a nearly two-day silence by Russian officials as to whether or not Mr. Snowden had in fact arrived in the Russian capital.
Mr. Putin's comments came after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that while there was no mechanism for the U.S. to call on Russia to extradite Mr. Snowden, it was asking Moscow not to side "with a person who is accused of breaking the law in another nation and who is a fugitive from justice according to international standards of law."
Mr. Kerry added: "We're not looking for a confrontation."
Mr. Putin, too, appeared eager to play down the impact of the Snowden affair on U.S.-Russia relations. He said it came as a "complete surprise" to Russian officials when the 30-year-old former security contractor, who is wanted by U.S. authorities for leaking confidential information about domestic surveillance operations, arrived at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport on Sunday. "I hope this doesn't in any way affect the nature of our relations with the U.S.," he said.
Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323683504578567080081271520.html
MOSCOW—Russian President Vladimir Putin denied a request by American officials to expel National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, who the leader said remains in the transit hall of a Moscow airport and is free to fly wherever he desires.
Russia hands over alleged criminals only to countries with which it has an international agreement, and the U.S. isn't among those, Mr. Putin said by way of explanation. Mr. Snowden doesn't need a Russian visa because he technically is a transit passenger who "thank God has not committed any crimes on the territory of the Russian Federation," Mr. Putin said.
"Mr. Snowden is a free man and the sooner he chooses his final destination, the better it will be for us and him," Mr. Putin said, breaking a nearly two-day silence by Russian officials as to whether or not Mr. Snowden had in fact arrived in the Russian capital.
Mr. Putin's comments came after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that while there was no mechanism for the U.S. to call on Russia to extradite Mr. Snowden, it was asking Moscow not to side "with a person who is accused of breaking the law in another nation and who is a fugitive from justice according to international standards of law."
Mr. Kerry added: "We're not looking for a confrontation."
Mr. Putin, too, appeared eager to play down the impact of the Snowden affair on U.S.-Russia relations. He said it came as a "complete surprise" to Russian officials when the 30-year-old former security contractor, who is wanted by U.S. authorities for leaking confidential information about domestic surveillance operations, arrived at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport on Sunday. "I hope this doesn't in any way affect the nature of our relations with the U.S.," he said.
Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323683504578567080081271520.html