HELSINKI, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that fugitive U.S. intelligence leaker Edward Snowden was still in the transit area at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport.
Saying that Snowden's arrival was completely unexpected, he voiced hope that the case would not impair relations with the United States.
Putin said that he would not turn over Snowden to U.S. authorities because Russia did not have an extradition treaty with the United States.
Snowden arrived at Moscow as a "transit passenger" and was free to go anywhere he chose, Putin told a press conference following a meeting with his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto.
However, he expressed his hope that Snowden would soon find a destination to leave for.
Putin arrived in western Finnish city of Turku on Tuesday on an official visit.
MOSCOW, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov dismissed on Tuesday the U.S. extradition demand of Edward Snowden as "groundless and unacceptable," saying the fugitive U.S. intelligence leaker did not cross border into Russia.
"We deem absolutely groundless and unacceptable the attempts we are witnessing to accuse the Russian side of violation of U.S. laws," Lavrov told a press conference after talks with his Algerian colleague Murad Medelci. Full story
WASHINGTON, June 24 (Xinhua) -- The White House said on Monday that it was expecting Russia to look at the options available to expel fugitive U.S. intelligence leaker Edward Snowden back to the country.
"It is our assumption that he is in Russia," spokesman Jay Carney told reporters at a regular press briefing. Full story
HANOI, June 24 (Xinhua) -- The Ecuadorian government has told Russia that it is reviewing the asylum request from Edward Snowden, the former U.S. intelligence contractor, Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino Aroca said at a press conference held in Vietnamese capital Hanoi on Monday.
The Ecuadorian foreign minister, who is paying a two-day visit to Vietnam, confirmed here earlier Monday morning that the Ecuadorian government had received the request for asylum from Snowden and was to analyze that "with a lot of responsibility". Full story
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