Snowden grounded at Moscow airport
U.S. secrets-leaker’s plans for asylum in Ecuador hit snag
PORTOVIEJO, ECUADOR — Edward Snowden is “under the care of the Russian authorities” and can’t leave Moscow’s international airport without their consent, Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa told The Associated Press on Sunday in an interview telegraphing the slim and diminishing possibility that the National Security Agency leaker will end up in Ecuador.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has distanced himself from the case since Snowden arrived in Russia last week. But Correa portrayed Russia as entirely the masters of Snowden’s fate.
Putin insists the 30-yearold former NSA contractor remains in the transit zone of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport and that as long as he has not legally entered Russia, he is out of the Kremlin’s control.
However, the Kremlin also said Sunday that it will take public opinion and the views of human rights activists into account when considering Snowden’s case, a move that could lay the groundwork for him to seek asylum in Russia.
“This is the decision of Russian authorities,” Correa told the AP during a visit to this Pacific coast city. “He doesn’t have a passport. I don’t know the Russian laws, I don’t know if he can leave the airport, but I understand that he can’t. At this moment he’s under the care of the Russian authorities. If he arrives at an Ecuadorian Embassy we’ll analyze his request for asylum.”
Last week, several members of Russia’s Presidential Council for Human Rights spoke out in support of Snowden, saying he deserved to receive political asylum in the country of his choice and should not be handed over to the United States. And a handful of protesters picketed outside the Moscow airport in what appeared to be an orchestrated demonstration on Friday, holding signs reading “Edward, Russia is your second motherland” and “Russia is behind Snowden.”
Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Ekho Moskvy radio that while Snowden is not Russia’s concern, the Kremlin is aware of the viewpoints of Russian experts and representatives of human rights organizations.
“Public opinion on the subject is very rich,” Peskov said in the radio interview. “We are aware of this and are taking it into account.”
Correa said he had no idea Snowden’s intended destination was Ecuador when he fled Hong Kong for Russia last week. He said the Ecuadorian consul in London committed “a serious error” by not consulting officials in Ecuador’s capital when the consul issued a letter of safe passage for Snowden.
He said the consul would be punished, although he didn’t specify how.
Analysts said they believed Correa’s administration at first intended to host Snowden, then started back-tracking this week when the possible consequences became clearer.
Correa said Snowden must assume responsibility if he broke U.S. laws, but added the broader legitimacy of Snowden’s action must be taken into consideration. He said Ecuador would still consider an asylum request but only if Snowden is able to make it to Ecuador or an Ecuadorian Embassy to apply.