Fugitive US intelligence Edward Snowden

Edward Snowden re-emerges for Moscow airport meeting

Human Rights Watch

Fugitive US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden has met rights groups and lawyers at a Moscow airport, in his first appearance in three weeks.

Mr Snowden said he was requesting asylum in Russia because he was unable to travel to Latin America, where Venezuela had granted him asylum. He had dropped an earlier Russian application after Moscow said he could stay only if he stopped the US leaks.

The Kremlin reiterated its condition on Friday.

"Mr Snowden could hypothetically stay in Russia if he first, completely stops the activities harming our American partners and US-Russian relations and, second, if he asks for this himself," President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said."He wants to stay here until he can fly to Latin America," Tatyana Lokshina of Human Rights Watch is quoted as saying.

But Russian lawmaker Vyacheslav Nikonov, who also attended the meeting at Sheremetyevo airport, said Mr Snowden did not specify whether he was seeking temporary or permanent asylum. "He said that he needs asylum in Russia to freely move around," Mr Nikonov said. "It suits him perfectly well staying in the airport because everything is fine here. 

The only thing he wants is to be given freedom of movement. Mr Snowden is wanted by the US on charges of leaking secrets about US surveillance schemes.He has sent requests for political asylum to at least 21 countries, most of which have turned down his request.However, Bolivia, Nicaragua and Venezuela have indicated they could take him in. The American is unable to leave the transit zone without asylum documents, a valid passport or a Russian visa, none of which he reportedly has.

The American has sent requests for political asylum to at least 21 countries, most of which have turned down his request. However, Bolivia, Nicaragua and Venezuela have indicated they could take him in.