Obama, Putin discuss Edward Snowden

Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Barack Obama discussed by the phone bilateral cooperation, security issues and the situation around former CIA employee Edward Snowden, said Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov, according to the Voice of Russia.

“On the initiative of the American side, the two presidents had a telephone conversation. Putin and Obama exchanged views on bilateral cooperation and security topics. They also discussed the situation around Snowden,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said without giving any details of the talks.

The White House later issued a similar statement, confirming the talks but avoiding elaboration on the issue.

Earlier White House spokesman Jay Carney said the Obama administration had been communicating with nations around the world that the United States would like Snowden, who has divulged classified information about secret surveillance programs, to be returned to face charges in the United States.

Snowden has been in limbo at a Moscow airport since arriving from Hong Kong on June 23.

Asked what the implications would be if Russia granted Snowden asylum, Carney said "providing a propaganda platform for Mr. Snowden runs counter to the Russian government's previous declarations of Russia's neutrality."

He said it was "also incompatible with Russian assurances that they do not want Mr. Snowden to further damage U.S. interests."

In Moscow, Putin's spokesman repeated earlier conditions that Snowden should stop harming the interests of the United States if he wants asylum.