Edward Snowden, a U.S. fugitive and ex-security contractor, has agreed on Russia’s call to stop anti American activity and has demanded temporary asylum, says a report from Bloomberg citing a Russian Lawyer who is advising Snowden.
Snowden “confirmed to me personally that he will accept these conditions,” Anatoly Kucherena said by phone today. On being asked if the fugitive will stop leaking secret U.S. documents, the lawyer replied, “yes.”
Snowden searching a safe place
Snowden is staying in Sheremetyevo’s transit area since he arrived in Russia, which caused rising tensions between Russia and the United States. He arrived in Russia from Hong Kong on June 23 boarding a flight. Snowden has requested various countries to provide him asylum. On the other hand, U.S. has been demanding his return for prosecution. Countries like Venezuela, Nicaragua and Bolivia have hinted that they are willing to provide asylum to Snowden. Snowden stated that U.S. and Europe are not allowing him to reach a safe place.
Kucherena said that the process of providing application for temporary refuge is simpler than that of political refuge, and the decision over it should be made soon. An official at the government agency press service said that there is no comment from the Federal Migration service. Interfax, citing the head of the migration authority’s advisory council, Vladimir Volokh, reported that Snowden might be moved to an asylum seeker center or may stay in the transit zone.
Snowden said that he will stay in Russia unless he is allowed to travel to Bolivia, Venezuela and Nicargua.
Putin accusing U.S. for caging Snowden
Snowden, who revealed that America collected telephone and internet data under its classified programs, asked Russia to provide him temporary asylum. Yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a statement that the United States has caged Snowden in Russia by exerting pressure on other countries to deny him asylum and ban Snowden to travel through the air.
President Putin has rejected US demands to send Snowden back for prosecution but maintains that the relation between US and Russia should not be affected any further. Putin has given an invitation to President Barack Obama for a summit in Moscow in September.
Putin said that Snowden is expected to leave Russia soon but has also hinted that the American fugitive may be granted a temporary asylum, depending upon the circumstances, says a report from Reuters.
If Russia provides temporary asylum to Snowden, then there could be severe strain in U.S.-Russia relations. Snowden is also getting assistance from Anti Secrecy group WikiLeaks. WikiLeaks also confirmed on Twitter that Snowden has applied for temporary Visa in Russia.
