Ecuador says Snowden asylum document unauthorized

[Bacchus4.0]

Source: AP


.. . ..
MICHAEL WEISSENSTEIN and JULIE PACE 2 hours ago .QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Ecuador's diplomatic mission in London issued a safe-conduct pass so National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden could travel to Ecuador to seek political asylum, but the action was unauthorized and the pass is invalid, government officials said Thursday.

President Obama sought to downplay the international chase for the man he called "a 29-year-old hacker" and lower the temperature of an issue that has raised tensions between the U.S. and uneasy partners Russia and China. Obama said in Senegal that the damage to U.S. national security has already been done and his top focus now is making sure it can't happen again.

In contrast, Ecuadorean officials took a defiant tone as they scrambled to explain a single-page, unsigned letter dated June 22 that says Snowden has the right to travel to Ecuador for purposes of political asylum, and asks other countries to allow him safe passage. The letter was published by the Univision television network Wednesday night.

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But they reacted strongly to threats from U.S. lawmakers that amnesty for Snowden would cost Ecuador valuable trade preferences. Officials announced they were "renouncing" the benefits and said they were being used as blackmail.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/ecuador-says-snowden-asylum-document-unauthorized-133014272.html

[JI7]

1. maybe it came from Assange

[KamaAina]

2. or the ambassador or one of his staff is in cahoots with Assange

which might explain why Assange chose the embassy of such an obscure country to hole up in.

[msanthrope]

3. you beat me to it. I was wondering who let assange near the fax machine and

the good stationery.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. "She also threatened legal action against whoever had leaked the document"

My, that's ironic.

[Iliyah]

5. Yes, ironic isn't it.