斯诺登考虑回归 正与美国政府谈条件

American whistleblower Edward Snowden is “considering” returning home to the USA under certain conditions, his lawyer told German news magazine Der Spiegel.

"There are negotiations," Snowden's German lawyer Wolfgang Kaleck told Der Spiegel. "Those who know the case are aware that an amicable agreement with the US authorities will be most reasonable.”

All efforts are now focused on finding a solution acceptable for Edward Snowden, at least in the medium term, according to Kaleck, who is also secretary-general for the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights.

Meanwhile, former NSA contractor isn’t involved in these negotiations, according to Kaleck, who added that his client never acted selfishly and caused no damage.

At Kaleck’s request, the NSA investigation committee in the German Bundestag, a constitutional and legislative body, is currently clarifying with the Cabinet of Germany (Bundesregierung) if the whistleblower can enter and testify there.

Reports that the famous whistleblower wants to come back to the US and was seeking high-ranked lawyer to negotiate his return first emerged in April. The New York Times wrote that during the summer of 2013, Snowden was seeking the assistance of DC-based attorney Plato Cacheris to negotiate a plea deal with federal prosecutors that would allow Snowden to return to the US as well as spare him significant prison time.

Snowden, while employed by the NSA, took up to 1.7 million classified files on US vast surveillance apparatus and intelligence gathering methods.

The ex-NSA contractor is currently under temporary asylum in Russia. He is wanted by the US on charges of espionage and theft of government property after leaking a vast trove of classified material to journalists that revealed more understanding of the National Security Agency’s global spying operations.

Earlier Snowden said that he wishes to return to the US, but is concerned he would be unfairly convicted of spying and subjected to the same treatment as other leakers who dared to expose government secrets during the Obama administration’s relentless pursuit of whistleblowers under the Espionage Act.

On May 20, a plea to give political asylum to Snowden if Scotland votes for independence was sent to the Scottish Parliament. Campaigner Mick Napier, a teacher at University of Glasgow put forward a petition calling for Snowden, now rector of Glasgow University, to be given shelter in Scotland.

美国“棱镜”监控丑闻揭秘者爱德华•斯诺登的律师沃尔夫冈•卡莱克向德国资讯杂志《明镜周刊》透露，斯诺登目前正“考虑”在某种条件下返回美国。

“双方正在谈判。所有熟悉此事的人都明白，与美国政府达成和解协议将是最合理的方式。”

因此，双方所有的努力都集中于至少在中期范围内找到一个对斯诺登来说可接受的解决办法， 卡莱克说。

他表示，斯诺登泄密从来不是自私的行为，也没对社会造成伤害，因此希望美国政府能为斯诺登回家创造条件。

据悉，斯诺登本人并未参与这些谈判。在卡雷克的请求下，德国联邦议院NSA调查委员会目前正在与德国内阁评估斯诺登是否可前来德国作证事宜。

4月，有报道称斯诺登希望返美，正邀请高级律师同美国政府谈判。《纽约时报》报道称，2013年夏天，斯诺登曾寻求华盛顿著名律师普拉托•卡切里斯的帮助同美国联邦检察官谈判，如达成协议，斯诺登将得以回国，刑期大大缩短。

斯诺登目前仍在俄罗斯避难，掌握有170万份美国全球监控和情报搜集方式的机密文件。

去年以来，斯诺登接连向记者披露机密文件，使美国国家安全局的全球监控活动公之于众，后遭美国政府通缉，罪名是间谍罪和盗窃国家财产罪。

早些时候，斯诺登曾表示希望回归，但担心被判间谍罪成立，经历其他美国政府泄密者同样的命运。

今年2月，斯诺登当选苏格兰格拉斯哥大学学生校长。5月20日，该校教师兼活动家米克•内皮尔发起了一份请愿书，呼吁斯诺登能获准在苏格兰避难。而苏格兰将于9月18日举行是否脱离英国独立的全民公投。