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Ecuador Hints at Slow Process on Snowden Asylum Ecuador Hints at Slow Process on Snowden Asylum
(about 1 hour later)
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.
Ecuador’s approach was conveyed in statements by its foreign minister and from its embassy in Washington as the Obama administration sought to further lighten a cold war atmosphere with Russia, which said on Tuesday that it would not extradite Mr. Snowden to face criminal charges in the United States. Ecuador’s approach was conveyed in statements by its foreign minister and from its embassy in Washington as the Obama administration sought to further lighten a cold war atmosphere with Russia, which said Tuesday that it would not extradite Mr. Snowden to face criminal charges in the United States.
Mr. Snowden, 30, whose revelations of American surveillance activities abroad have angered the Obama administration and raised a debate about governmental 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 governmental 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 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 figure in that decision.Ecuador’s foreign minister, Ricardo Patiño, suggested 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 figure in that decision.
Mr. Patiño compared Mr. Snowden’s case to that of Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, the antisecrecy group, 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, the antisecrecy group, 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.
He 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.” He later accused the news 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 in his attempt to stay ahead of his American pursuers, who revoked his passport and sought to have him arrested in Hong Kong on charges of violating espionage laws before he fled on Sunday on a flight to Moscow. WikiLeaks, which is assisting Mr. Snowden, has said that Ecuador 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 in his attempt to stay ahead of his American pursuers, who revoked his passport and sought to have him arrested in Hong Kong on charges of violating espionage laws before he fled on Sunday on a flight to Moscow. WikiLeaks, which is assisting Mr. Snowden, has said that Ecuador 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 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 Ecuador’s 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.”Asked about Ecuador’s 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 its language in the hope 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 its language in the hope 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,” said Jay Carney, the White House press secretary, referring to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia.“We agree with President Putin that we don’t want the situation to harm our relations,” said Jay Carney, the White House press secretary, referring to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia.
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One as President Obama left for a weeklong trip to Africa, Mr. Carney 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,” he said.Speaking to reporters on Air Force One as President Obama left for a weeklong trip to Africa, Mr. Carney 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,” he 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.”
Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, said at a news conference on Wednesday in Moscow that Russia was eager to see Mr. Snowden leave, echoing comments by Mr. Putin on Tuesday.Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, said at a news conference on Wednesday in Moscow that Russia was eager to see Mr. Snowden leave, echoing comments by Mr. Putin on Tuesday.
“Mr. Snowden is a free man,” Mr. Lavrov said. “He did not break the laws of the Russian Federation and did not cross the border. He is located in the transit area of the airport and has the right to fly in any direction he wants. And, as the president of Russia said, the sooner that happens, the better.”“Mr. Snowden is a free man,” Mr. Lavrov said. “He did not break the laws of the Russian Federation and did not cross the border. He is located in the transit area of the airport and has the right to fly in any direction he wants. And, as the president of Russia said, the sooner that happens, the better.”

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 from Washington; 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 from Washington; and William Neuman from Quito, Ecuador.