02.07 Snowden Does Not Want to Stay in Russia � Kremlin

MOSCOW, July 2 (RIA Novosti) � Edward Snowden, the former US intelligence contractor wanted by the United States for leaking state secrets, asked for asylum in Russia but withdrew his request after hearing Russia�s conditions for granting it, a Kremlin spokesman said Tuesday.

�Snowden did voice a request to remain in Russia. Then, yesterday, hearing President Putin outline Russia�s position regarding the conditions under which he could do this, he withdrew his request for permission to stay in Russia,� Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.

On Monday evening, Putin said: �If he wants to go somewhere [another country] and is accepted, he can. If he wants to stay here, there is one condition: He must stop his work aimed at harming our US partners, no matter how strange this may sound coming from me.�

Peskov confirmed that Snowden is in the transit zone of Moscow�s Sheremetyevo airport and had not crossed Russia�s state border.