Cancellation of Obama's Moscow visit proves correctness of asylum for Snowden - Communist Party
MOSCOW. Aug 7 (Interfax) - The refusal of U.S. President Barack Obama to meet with his Russian counterpart confirms the correctness of the decision to grant temporary asylum to former CIA officer Edward Snowden, Russian Communist Party Central Committee First Deputy Chairman, State Duma First Vice-Speaker Ivan Melnikov said.
"The move of Obama is a perfect confirmation to the correctness of our conduct. Snowden must be really valuable if the Americans react this way," Melnikov told Interfax on Wednesday referring to the decision of Obama not to have one-to-one meetings with Vladimir Putin either in Moscow or on the sidelines of the G20 summit.
Melnikov doubts that this situation will harm Russian-U.S. relations.
"Cooperation between the U.S. and Russian economies cannot stop for political reasons due to their current condition. Besides, we will be victorious in this geopolitical situation. The entire world willingly approves of the Russian actions and the decision concerning Snowden. And the majority of average U.S. citizens feel this way. So, what is this all about? The CIA does not seem to like to be embarrassed and to lose, does it? But that is their problem," Melnikov said.