Lawyer Kucherena denies reports about Russia-U.S. talks on exchanging Snowden for Bout
MOSCOW. March 20 (Interfax) - Lawyer Anatoly Kucherena has described as a provocation speculations regarding alleged talks between Russian and U.S. authorities on the exchange of former CIA employee Edward Snowden for Russian national Viktor Bout, who is serving a sentence in a U.S. prison on charges of illegal trade in arms.
"This is a pure provocation. No such talks are being held. They are a priori out of the question, because he [Snowden] is in Russia lawfully," Kucherena, lawyer for Snowden, told Interfax on Monday.
Russian authorities have no reasons whatsoever to even discuss this subject, he said.
"Moscow has no reasons whatsoever to discuss this subject with regard to his possible extradition to the U. S. It is impossible," Kucherena said.
A report was published earlier in a British newspaper that alleged citing some sources that Russia and the U.S. are in talks regarding Snowden's possible exchange for Bout.
When asked by reporters whether former CIS and NSA employee Edward Snowden plans to appeal for parole with his president, lawyer Kucherena said: "Edward Snowden does not consider himself a criminal. He did what he did in the interest of the public good".
"When Edward told the entire world and Americans about what U.S. special services were involved in [meaning the mass surveillance affecting citizens and leaders of foreign nations], he was moved by the principle of the public good," Kucherena said. "This is his principled civic stance," he said.
