"Snowden Affair" could derail planned Moscow meeting

MOSCOW The planned visit of U.S. President Barack Obama to Moscow has been put into question as Edward Snowden is seeking asylum in the country, the AP reported. Obama will attend the September meeting of the Group of 20 (G20) in St. Petersburg. Earlier, it was planned that he would also go to Moscow to hold separate talks with President Vladimir Putin, but because of Snowden, "modifications to this plan are possible." "Snowden Affair" could derail planned Moscow meeting The whistleblower - a former CIA employee and NSA contractor - has spent more than three weeks in Moscow's airport Sheremetyevo, and on Friday said he wished to stay in Russia until he was able to leave for Latin America. He arrived in Moscow from Hong Kong, after he publicly revealed American intelligence secrets, including massive phone and internet spying programs. Putin said earlier that Snowden could be granted political asylum "if he ceases to harm the United States and the Russian-American relations." Putin said that bilateral relations with the United States were more important than "the activities of the secret services." When asked whether the affair had cast a shadow on the U.S.-Russian summit planned for September in Moscow, Putin told reporters: "It is my opinion that the bilateral relations are far more important than the disputes over the activities of the secret services." Meanwhile on Wednesday, Snowden's Russian lawyer Anatoly Kucherena told Russia Today that his client "assured him" that President Putin’s request to stop his activity against the U.S. was "attainable." Kucherena also said that Snowden stated he had chosen to to file a petition in Russia because he fears for his life and wellbeing, is also afraid of torture, and that he could get executed by the U.S. "And what he says sounds quite convincing, because the U.S. still administers capital punishment and torture," the lawyer concluded. Barack Obama (Beta, file) Tanjug

"Snowden Affair" could derail planned Moscow meeting

The whistleblower - a former CIA employee and NSA contractor - has spent more than three weeks in Moscow's airport Sheremetyevo, and on Friday said he wished to stay in Russia until he was able to leave for Latin America.

He arrived in Moscow from Hong Kong, after he publicly revealed American intelligence secrets, including massive phone and internet spying programs.

Putin said earlier that Snowden could be granted political asylum "if he ceases to harm the United States and the Russian-American relations."

Putin said that bilateral relations with the United States were more important than "the activities of the secret services."

When asked whether the affair had cast a shadow on the U.S.-Russian summit planned for September in Moscow, Putin told reporters: "It is my opinion that the bilateral relations are far more important than the disputes over the activities of the secret services."

Meanwhile on Wednesday, Snowden's Russian lawyer Anatoly Kucherena told Russia Today that his client "assured him" that President Putin’s request to stop his activity against the U.S. was "attainable."

Kucherena also said that Snowden stated he had chosen to to file a petition in Russia because he fears for his life and wellbeing, is also afraid of torture, and that he could get executed by the U.S.

"And what he says sounds quite convincing, because the U.S. still administers capital punishment and torture," the lawyer concluded.