Snowden's next move remains unclear

[FarCenter]

Like WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, Edward Snowden has applied for political asylum in Ecuador. But it will likely take weeks for the country to decide. Meanwhile, Russia and China are facing criticism from the US.

What the world knows thus far about Edward Snowden's life since he checked out of his Hong Kong hotel on June 10 is the stuff of a thriller movie. American authorities have appealed to all countries to arrest the whistleblower, but Snowden has yet to be detained.

The 30-year-old IT expert was last traced at a Moscow airport, but he apparently did not embark, as planned, on a flight to Cuba. If he aims to arrive in Latin America by another route, it might be advantageous for the tempo of his journey to slow down. While Snowden has written a personal letter to Ecuador's President Rafael Correa asking for political asylum, authorities in the South American country want to take their time issuing a response.

"In the case of Julian Assange, it took two months. Perhaps it will take a little longer this time, perhaps a little less," said Jorge Jurado, Ecuador's ambassador to Germany, in an interview with DW in Berlin.

In any case, the ambassador added, the principles contained in the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights will serve as the basis for the decision and "not the interests of groups or other countries."

http://www.dw.de/snowdens-next-move-remains-unclear/a-16903378

[MADem]

1. Ecuador might want to stall until after July, which is when the US-Ecuador trade agreement comes up

for renewal.

I'd make signing the agreement contingent upon their assurances that they'd deliver Snowden back to USA. If they tried to play fast-n-loose, I'd cut 'em off at the pass and impose steep tariffs.

China has BOUGHT Ecuador's debt and they have them over a barrel; and Ecuador's new focus is to the east because they sold themselves to Beijing, but they still use the US dollar as their currency and they still do a shit load of trade with USA. Imposition of tariffs would hurt them, particularly given the products they sell. They're one of the biggest exporters of flowers to USA, and Colombia (who are more accommodating to USA in a number of ways) is getting into the flower export game in a big way.

That probably is factoring into their dithering...

[Cha]

2. thank you for all that, MADem

It's not just about little ol leaker.

[madrchsod]

4. there`s a lot of american based/owned companies in ecuador

ya they may be rethinking whether they want to sour relations with the usa.

[Downwinder]

6. As long as the USA protects Chevron relations are going to be sour.

[madrchsod]

3. obama and Xi just had a long discussion...

about the problems of each other spying on each other. it seems both want some sort of agreement.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/07/politics/us-china-summit-cyber-spying



ecuador might need to think whether or not they want to sour us relations over snowjob.

[FarCenter]

5. Governments understand that they all spy on each other.

None are very keen on having means and methods blabbed all over the internet.