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Plane Leaves Moscow for Havana Without Snowden Plane Leaves Moscow for Havana Without Snowden
(about 1 hour later)
MOSCOW — A flight from Moscow to Havana departed Thursday afternoon without any sign of Edward J. Snowden, the former security contractor wanted in the United States, raising the possibility that his four-day stay in the legal limbo of a Moscow airport transit area — meant to be a stopover on his way to a third country — could stretch into weeks. MOSCOW — A flight from Moscow to Havana departed Thursday afternoon without any sign of Edward J. Snowden, the former security contractor wanted in the United States, aboard, raising the possibility that his four-day stay in the legal limbo of a Moscow airport transit area — meant to be a stopover on his way to a third country — could stretch into weeks.
President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia said two days earlier that “the sooner he chooses his final destination, the better for us and for him,” a comment that may have ratcheted up pressure on Mr. Snowden to leave. An extended stay would also seem to narrow Mr. Snowden’s options, allowing American officials to dangle carrots and sticks before countries like Ecuador and Venezuela that are considering granting him asylum. President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia said two days earlier, “The sooner he chooses his final destination, the better for us and for him,” a comment that may have ratcheted up pressure on Mr. Snowden to leave. An extended stay would also seem to narrow Mr. Snowden’s options, allowing American officials to dangle carrots and sticks before countries like Ecuador and Venezuela that are considering granting him asylum.
A buzz of suspense surrounded Flight 150 to Havana on Thursday. Cuba has been reported as the next stop in the odyssey of Mr. Snowden, who fled Hong Kong for Moscow on Sunday, frustrating American officials seeking his extradition.A buzz of suspense surrounded Flight 150 to Havana on Thursday. Cuba has been reported as the next stop in the odyssey of Mr. Snowden, who fled Hong Kong for Moscow on Sunday, frustrating American officials seeking his extradition.
But there were no unusual security measures visible as passengers boarded the Havana flight and some two dozen reporters and photographers pressed against the terminal window as the plane backed away from the gate. Journalists from Reuters and ABC, who had booked tickets in hopes of interviewing Mr. Snowden, said it appeared he was not on board. But there were no unusual security measures visible as passengers boarded the Havana flight, with two dozen reporters and photographers pressed against the terminal window as the plane backed away from the gate. Journalists from Reuters and ABC, who had booked tickets in hopes of interviewing Mr. Snowden, said it appeared that he was not on board.
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. His successful effort, so far, to elude American prosecution has created new tensions with Russia and China just as the Obama administration has been seeking to improve relations with both countries.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. His successful effort, so far, to elude American prosecution has created new tensions with Russia and China just as the Obama administration has been seeking to improve relations with both countries.
President Obama, speaking at a news conference on Thursday in Dakar, Senegal, the first stop on his Africa trip, said he had not personally called the presidents of China or Russia because he did not want to elevate the importance of Mr. Snowden’s case. He said other nations should simply be willing to return Mr. Snowden to the United States as a matter of course.President Obama, speaking at a news conference on Thursday in Dakar, Senegal, the first stop on his Africa trip, said he had not personally called the presidents of China or Russia because he did not want to elevate the importance of Mr. Snowden’s case. He said other nations should simply be willing to return Mr. Snowden to the United States as a matter of course.
“This is something that routinely is dealt with,” Mr. Obama said. “This is not exceptional from a legal perspective. I’m not going to have one case suddenly being elevated to the point where I have to do wheeling and dealing and trading.”“This is something that routinely is dealt with,” Mr. Obama said. “This is not exceptional from a legal perspective. I’m not going to have one case suddenly being elevated to the point where I have to do wheeling and dealing and trading.”
Asked whether he would order the military to intercept any plane that might be transporting Mr. Snowden, Mr. Obama said he would not.Asked whether he would order the military to intercept any plane that might be transporting Mr. Snowden, Mr. Obama said he would not.
Mr. Snowden’s delayed departure from Moscow may be related to negotiations over his asylum application.Mr. Snowden’s delayed departure from Moscow may be related to negotiations over his asylum application.
Ecuador’s foreign minister, Ricardo Patiño, suggested at a news conference in Malaysia on Wednesday 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. Later he said the comments had been misconstrued by reporters, and that the decision “could be settled in a day, a week, or, as with Assange, it could take two months.” He was referring to Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, who has been given refuge for the last year in Ecuador’s embassy in London.Ecuador’s foreign minister, Ricardo Patiño, suggested at a news conference in Malaysia on Wednesday 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. Later he said the comments had been misconstrued by reporters, and that the decision “could be settled in a day, a week, or, as with Assange, it could take two months.” He was referring to Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, who has been given refuge for the last year in Ecuador’s embassy in London.
The president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, appeared on television on Wednesday saying that Venezuela had not received an application from Mr. Snowden, but that it would consider granting it.The president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, appeared on television on Wednesday saying that Venezuela had not received an application from Mr. Snowden, but that it would consider granting it.
“We say and advocate that someone in the world should stand with this young man and protect him,” Mr. Maduro said during an official visit to Haiti.“We say and advocate that someone in the world should stand with this young man and protect him,” Mr. Maduro said during an official visit to Haiti.
It was unclear how Ecuador’s deliberations could affect Mr. Snowden in his effort 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 how Ecuador’s deliberations could affect Mr. Snowden in his effort 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 Ecuador issued him special travel papers and that country is his ultimate destination.

Michael D. Shear contributed reporting from Dakar, Senegal, and Rick Gladstone from New York.

Michael D. Shear contributed reporting from Dakar, Senegal; Rick Gladstone from New York; and Andrew Roth from Moscow.