Kerry warns of Snowden consequences for Russia, China

NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, an analyst with a US defence contractor, is seen in this file still image taken from video during an interview by The Guardian in his hotel room in Hong Kong June 6, 2013. Photo: Reuters

US Secretary of State John Kerry has said it would be "disappointing" if Russia and China had helped US fugitive Edward Snowden evade US attempts to extradite him from Hong Kong.

Speaking during a visit to India, Kerry said there would inevitably be "consequences" to such a move.

Snowden flew out of Hong Kong to Moscow on Sunday.

He was thought to have flown to Cuba, but Ecuador's foreign minister has since implied he was still in Russia.

Speaking during a visit to Vietnam, Ricardo Patino said Ecuador had maintained "respectful and diplomatic contacts" with the Russian government.

He said Moscow could "make the decision it feels is most convenient in accordance with its laws and politics and in accordance with the international laws and norms that could be applied to this case".

However, when asked whether he knew of Snowden's current location he declined to answer.

Patino confirmed that Ecuador was processing an asylum request from Snowden, and read out the letter the fugitive had sent to President Rafael Correa in which he said he was "at risk of being persecuted by the US and its agents".

Defending the decision to consider Snowden's request, Patino said his country put human rights "above any other interest that may be discussed or any other pressure it may be subjected to" and that he would not face a fair trial at home.

He also said the US had been in contact, through its ambassador, with the government in Quito, but gave no further details.

"We will consider the position of the US government and we will take a decision in due course in line with the [Ecuadorean] constitution, the laws, international politics and sovereignty."

'Effect and impact'
Snowden is wanted by the US for revealing to the media details of a secret government surveillance programme, which he obtained while briefly working as an IT contractor for the National Security Agency (NSA).

The 30-year-old has been charged with theft of government property, unauthorised communication of national defence information and willful communication of classified communications intelligence.

He was in hiding in Hong Kong when the details first emerged, but the authorities there said he left voluntarily on Sunday, saying US extradition papers were incomplete so there was no legal reason to prevent his departure.

But Albert Ho, his lawyer in Hong Kong, told the BBC that a government official urged Snowden to go over the weekend. Ho said he believed the official was acting on the orders of the Beijing government.

Speaking in Delhi, during a visit to India, Kerry told reporters it would "be obviously disappointing if he was willfully allowed to board an airplane".

"As a result there would be without any question some effect and impact on the relationship and consequences."

The US has revoked his passport and wants Russia to hand him over before he leaves Russian soil. Snowden is believed to have spent the night in a hotel at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport.

Kerry urged Moscow to "live by the standards of the law because that's in the interests of everybody".

"In the last two years we have transferred seven prisoners to Russia that they wanted so I think reciprocity and the enforcement of the law is pretty important," he said.