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Ecuador Hints at Slow Process on Snowden Asylum | Ecuador Hints at Slow Process on Snowden Asylum |
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MOSCOW — Ecuador signaled on Wednesday that it may deliberate slowly on the asylum application from Edward J. Snowden, the fugitive former security contractor wanted in the United States, raising the possibility that he could spend weeks in legal limbo as he plots his next steps inside a Moscow airport transit area. | MOSCOW — Ecuador signaled on Wednesday that it may deliberate slowly on the asylum application from Edward J. Snowden, the fugitive former security contractor wanted in the United States, raising the possibility that he could spend weeks in legal limbo as he plots his next steps inside a Moscow airport transit area. |
The signals from Ecuador, conveyed in statements by its foreign minister and embassy in Washington, came as the Obama administration sought to further lower the cold war atmospherics over Mr. Snowden with Russia, which said on Tuesday that it would not extradite him in defiance of American demands. | The signals from Ecuador, conveyed in statements by its foreign minister and embassy in Washington, came as the Obama administration sought to further lower the cold war atmospherics over Mr. Snowden with Russia, which said on Tuesday that it would not extradite him in defiance of American demands. |
Mr. Snowden, 30, whose revelations of American surveillance activities abroad have angered the Obama administration and raised a debate about the government’s invasion of privacy, remained out of sight on Wednesday. It was his fourth day in a restricted international transit area of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, as speculation intensified over when he would leave and where he would go. | Mr. Snowden, 30, whose revelations of American surveillance activities abroad have angered the Obama administration and raised a debate about the government’s invasion of privacy, remained out of sight on Wednesday. It was his fourth day in a restricted international transit area of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, as speculation intensified over when he would leave and where he would go. |
Ecuador’s foreign minister, Ricardo Patiño, suggested to reporters at a news conference in Malaysia that his government could take months to decide whether to grant Mr. Snowden’s asylum request, and that his country’s relations with the United States would be one of the factors considered. | Ecuador’s foreign minister, Ricardo Patiño, suggested to reporters at a news conference in Malaysia that his government could take months to decide whether to grant Mr. Snowden’s asylum request, and that his country’s relations with the United States would be one of the factors considered. |
Mr. Patiño compared Mr. Snowden’s case to that of Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, who has been given asylum in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London. | Mr. Patiño compared Mr. Snowden’s case to that of Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, who has been given asylum in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London. |
“It took us two months to make a decision in the case of Assange, so do not expect us to make a decision sooner this time,” Mr. Patiño said, according to an Associated Press account of his remarks. | “It took us two months to make a decision in the case of Assange, so do not expect us to make a decision sooner this time,” Mr. Patiño said, according to an Associated Press account of his remarks. |
Mr. Patiño later accused the media in a series of Twitter messages of rendering his comments inaccurately, saying: “In Kuala Lumpur, I said that the decision about asylum could be settled in a day, a week, or, as with Assange, it could take 2 months. Some media outlet took off the first part of the statement and left only the second. They are seeking to confuse, we’ve seen it before.” | Mr. Patiño later accused the media in a series of Twitter messages of rendering his comments inaccurately, saying: “In Kuala Lumpur, I said that the decision about asylum could be settled in a day, a week, or, as with Assange, it could take 2 months. Some media outlet took off the first part of the statement and left only the second. They are seeking to confuse, we’ve seen it before.” |
It was unclear whether Ecuador’s deliberations could affect Mr. Snowden’s odyssey to stay ahead of his American pursuers, who had revoked his passport and sought to have him arrested in Hong Kong on charges of violating espionage laws before he fled there on Sunday on a flight to Moscow. WikiLeaks, which is assisting Mr. Snowden, has said that Ecuador has issued him special travel papers and that it is his ultimate destination. | It was unclear whether Ecuador’s deliberations could affect Mr. Snowden’s odyssey to stay ahead of his American pursuers, who had revoked his passport and sought to have him arrested in Hong Kong on charges of violating espionage laws before he fled there on Sunday on a flight to Moscow. WikiLeaks, which is assisting Mr. Snowden, has said that Ecuador has issued him special travel papers and that it is his ultimate destination. |
Ecuador also said on Wednesday that the United States must “submit its position” regarding Mr. Snowden to the Ecuadorean government in writing. In a statement on the Web site of its embassy in Washington, Ecuador said its decision would take “human rights obligations into consideration as well.” | Ecuador also said on Wednesday that the United States must “submit its position” regarding Mr. Snowden to the Ecuadorean government in writing. In a statement on the Web site of its embassy in Washington, Ecuador said its decision would take “human rights obligations into consideration as well.” |
Asked about the Ecuador request, Patrick Ventrell, a State Department spokesman, told reporters at a daily briefing in Washington: “I’m not going to get into our diplomatic exchanges with Ecuador. We’ll continue to be in discussion with them.” | |
Discussions between American and Russian officials continued on Wednesday and the White House further softened the rhetoric in hopes of an outcome that does not further damage ties between the two countries. | Discussions between American and Russian officials continued on Wednesday and the White House further softened the rhetoric in hopes of an outcome that does not further damage ties between the two countries. |
"We agree with President Putin that we don't want the situation to harm our relations," Jay Carney, the White House press secretary, told reporters on Air Force One as President Obama left for a weeklong trip to Africa. | "We agree with President Putin that we don't want the situation to harm our relations," Jay Carney, the White House press secretary, told reporters on Air Force One as President Obama left for a weeklong trip to Africa. |
He expressed empathy with Russia’s predicament as it decides how to handle the situation, given that it has no extradition treaty with the United States. “We certainly understand the fact that Mr. Snowden chose to travel to Moscow, chose to travel to Russia, creates issues that the Russian government has to consider,” Mr. Carney said. | He expressed empathy with Russia’s predicament as it decides how to handle the situation, given that it has no extradition treaty with the United States. “We certainly understand the fact that Mr. Snowden chose to travel to Moscow, chose to travel to Russia, creates issues that the Russian government has to consider,” Mr. Carney said. |
He added that the United States still wanted Moscow to expel Mr. Snowden and that “we believe there is a clear, legal basis to do so, based on his travel documents and the indictment against him.” | He added that the United States still wanted Moscow to expel Mr. Snowden and that “we believe there is a clear, legal basis to do so, based on his travel documents and the indictment against him.” |
Yet the Russian president’s remarks also underscored what may be the lasting damage the case has caused for American relations with Moscow and Beijing. In noting that Mr. Snowden viewed himself as a “human rights activist” who “struggles for freedom of information,” Mr. Putin made clear that it would be harder for Mr. Obama to claim the moral high ground when he presses foreign leaders to stop repressing dissenters and halt cyberattacks. | Yet the Russian president’s remarks also underscored what may be the lasting damage the case has caused for American relations with Moscow and Beijing. In noting that Mr. Snowden viewed himself as a “human rights activist” who “struggles for freedom of information,” Mr. Putin made clear that it would be harder for Mr. Obama to claim the moral high ground when he presses foreign leaders to stop repressing dissenters and halt cyberattacks. |
David M. Herszenhorn reported from Moscow, and Rick Gladstone from New York. Reporting was contributed by Ellen Barry and Andrew Roth from Moscow; Peter Baker, David E. Sanger, Steven Lee Myers and Charlie Savage from Washington; Michael R. Gordon from Jidda, Saudi Arabia; and William Neuman from Quito, Ecuador. | David M. Herszenhorn reported from Moscow, and Rick Gladstone from New York. Reporting was contributed by Ellen Barry and Andrew Roth from Moscow; Peter Baker, David E. Sanger, Steven Lee Myers and Charlie Savage from Washington; Michael R. Gordon from Jidda, Saudi Arabia; and William Neuman from Quito, Ecuador. |