"Disappointed" by Moscow's decision to award one year's temporary asylum to Edward Snowden
Obama says Russia has "Cold War mentality"
07/08/2013 - 11:04am
US President Barack Obama has critisized Russia over its decision to grant asylum to American fugitive Edward Snowden who disclosed the NSA surveillance scandal to the public. In addition, as he said on NBC's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" last night, Moscow occasionally shows a "Cold War mentality."
In particular, Obama said he was "disappointed" by Russia's decision to award one year's temporary asylum to Edward Snowden. Snowden has recently left Moscow's airport where he remained for five weeks and has relocated to a secret safe house. However, the US revoked his passport and demanded to be sent back to his home country in order to stand trial.
Moreover, despite acknowledging Russia's help regarding Afghanistan and counter-terrorism, he pointed that there are still underlying challenges between the two countries. As the US President stated: "There have been times where they flip back in the Cold War thinking and in a Cold War mentality." And added: "What I consistently say to them, and what I say to President Putin, is that's the past, and we have to think about the future. And there's no reason why we shouldn't be able to cooperate more effectively than we do."
Furthermore, he critised Russia over the recent adoption of the law criminalizing the transmission of information about homosexuality to minors, saying that this move leaves room to discriminations. As he said "I have no patience for countries that try to treat gays or lesbians or transgender persons in ways that intimidate them or are harmful to them."
Finally, Obama insisted he would attend next month's G20 summit in St. Petersburg, but he did not specify whether he would seek to meet with Putin in order to discuss these matters.
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