WASHINGTON: The Unites States is extremely disappointed on Russian government’s decision to give temporary asylum to Edward Snowden despite Washington’s official and private requests to expel him, the White House spokesperson Jay Carney has said.
The US is “extremely disappointed that the Russian government would take this step” despite Washington’s official and private requests to expel him, Carney said.
Carney stressed that Snowden’s asylum is an “unfortunate development” in US-Russia relations, undermining the record of law enforcement cooperation between the two states, which was on an upswing since the Boston bombings.
The White House spokesman stated that Washington would soon contact Russian authorities on the issue.
At the same time, Carney said that the US doesn’t want “Mr Snowden to become a problem” in US relations with Russia, which cover “important and broad” issues.
The spokesman stressed the US doesn’t view Edward Snowden as a whistleblower or dissident, reminding that the NSA former contractor is accused of leaking classified information in his home country.
Moreover, Carney said that US is re-evaluating whether President Barack Obama needs to participate in a summit this autumn summit with Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, after Moscow granted asylum to NSA leaker Edward Snowden.
“We are evaluating the utility of the summit in light of this,” Carney said.
On Thursday, Snowden was granted temporary asylum in Russia and was allowed to enter the country’s territory.
According to the issued documents, the former CIA employee who broke PRISM spying scandal to the world is free to stay in Russia until at least July 31, 2014. Then the asylum status may be extended.
