Download
After the NSA whistle-blower lands in Moscow, the big question is: Where is he?
A plane took off from Moscow on Monday heading for Cuba, but the seat booked by US National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden was empty, and there was no sign of him onboard.
An Aeroflot representative who wouldn't give her name said that Snowden wasn't on flightSU150 to Havana. And reporters from The Associated Press on the flight couldn't find him.
The Interfax news agency also quoted an unidentified Russian security source in Moscow as saying that Snowden wasn't on the plane.
The airline said earlier Snowden registered for the flight using his US passport, which US officials say has been annulled.
Snowden arrived in Moscow on Sunday from Hong Kong, where he had been hiding for several weeks to evade US justice. Ecuador is considering Snowden's asylum application.
After spending a night in Moscow airport, Snowden had been expected to fly to Cuba and Venezuela en route to possible asylum in Ecuador.
The White House said on Monday that it expected the Russian government to send Snowden back to the US and lodged "strong objections" with Hong Kong and Beijing for letting him go.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying on Monday defended his government's decision to allow Snowden to leave the city.
Leung said he noted "expressions of displeasure" from some in the US, but told reporters that "the people of Hong Kong expect Hong Kong to uphold its own laws including the Basic Law".
Beijing on Monday backed Hong Kong's permission for Snowden's departure.
"Hong Kong is a society with rule of law. The central government always respects the local special administrative region government to follow the Basic Law and the principle of 'One Country, Two Systems'," Hua Chunying, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, said during a regular news conference.
Meanwhile, a Russian official said on Monday that Washington has no right to demand Moscow arrest and extradite Snowden.
"The Americans can't demand anything. We can extradite him, or we can refuse to do that," Russian human rights ombudsman Vladimir Lukin told the Interfax news agency.
Snowden had been in hiding for several weeks in Hong Kong. The United States formally sought his extradition from Hong Kong to face espionage charges but was rebuffed. Hong Kong officials said the US request did not fully comply with their laws.
Washington was in touch through diplomatic and law enforcement channels with countries that he could travel through or to, reminding them that Snowden is wanted on criminal charges, and reiterating Washington's position that he should only be permitted to travel back to the US, a State Department official said.
Still, the United States is likely to have problems interrupting Snowden's passage. It does not have an extradition treaty with Russia, but does with Cuba, Venezuela and Ecuador. Even with an extradition agreement though, any country could give Snowden a political exemption.
The likelihood that any of these countries would stop Snowden from traveling on to Ecuador seemed remote. While diplomatic tensions have thawed in recent years, Cuba and the US are hardly allies after a half-century of distrust. Another country that could see Snowden pass through, Venezuela, could prove difficult, as well. Former president Hugo Chavez was a sworn enemy of the US and his successor, Nicolas Maduro, earlier this year called US President Barack Obama "grand chief of devils". The two countries do not exchange ambassadors.
Snowden's options aren't numerous, said lawyer for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, Michael Ratner.
"You have to have a country that's going to stand up to the United States," Ratner said. "You're not talking about a huge range of countries here."
It also wasn't clear if Snowden has finished disclosing highly classified information.
About the broadcaster:
Lance Crayon is a videographer and editor with China Daily. Since living in Beijing he has worked for China Radio International (CRI) and Global Times. Before moving to China he worked in the film industry in Los Angeles as a talent agent and producer. He has a B.A. in English from the University of Texas at Arlington.
热胀冷缩:双语儿童寓言故事
左耳朵进右耳多出:双语儿童寓言故事
桃李不言,下自成蹊:双语儿童寓言故事
驴子与店主-床边英语小故事
双语儿童寓言故事:Count Tomorrow Morning明天早上数
双语儿童寓言故事:聪明的熊猫A Clever Panda
双语儿童寓言故事:狼来了Wolf Is Coming
一名伟人:双语儿童寓言故事
双语儿童寓言故事:牛和狗The Ox and the Dog
双语儿童寓言故事:A Friend in Need Is a Friend Indeed患难见真情
双语儿童寓言故事:I can’t Cook It我没法煮它
双语儿童寓言故事:I Made Granny Glad我让奶奶高兴了
双语儿童寓言故事:A Good Boy好孩子
20美元:双语儿童寓言故事
老板最大:双语儿童寓言故事
鲍姆看牙医-少儿英语故事
儿童双语幽默小故事:story 5
双语儿童寓言故事:It’s Good to Admit a Fault认错
双语儿童寓言故事:Snow White白雪公主
双语儿童寓言故事:Are Flies Yummy?苍蝇好吃吗?
小鹿与他的父亲-双语儿童寓言故事
狐狸与乌鸦-床边英语小故事
老狗的命运-床边英语小故事
双语儿童寓言故事:Adding Eyes to a Dragon画龙点睛
被烫死的苍蝇:双语儿童寓言故事
骆驼:双语儿童寓言故事
北风与太阳-床边英语小故事
双语儿童寓言故事:Lord Ye’s Love of the Dragon叶公好龙
南辕北辙:双语儿童寓言故事
双语儿童寓言故事:I Don’t Want to Walk Home我不想走回家
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |