Americans have formal right to intercept plane carrying Snowden, but plane may bypass U.S. territory - source
MOSCOW. June 24 (Interfax) - U.S. air traffic controllers can forcibly land the plane carrying former CIA agent Edward Snowden from Moscow to Cuba when it flies over U.S. waters if they have good grounds for this, a source in the air traffic control services of Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport told Interfax.
"No doubt, our U.S. colleagues have the formal right to land the plane when it enters U.S. airspace, which is their responsibility zone. However, they will have to provide good reasons for that," the source said.
The plane's captain, in turn, may change the course in such a way as to avoid entering the U.S. airspace.
"The plane's captain has this right and he can change the course at his discretion. There should be enough fuel for that. As a rule, there is always some fuel reserve in planes. The courses are made initially using the shortest route, but planes get reserve fuel for unforeseen situations," the source said.
In the meantime, a source in the U.S. told Interfax that U.S. authorities may demand that the plane expected to carry Snowden to Cuba land in U.S. territory.
The source said every country can demand that any aircraft entering its zone of responsibility land for public safety or military reasons based on the current international regulations.
Aeroflot's routes to Havana lie over the Atlantic Ocean in the area of the Canadian island of Newfoundland and lie along the eastern coast of the U.S., specifically, several kilometers from New York. A large part of the route located along the U.S. coast is in the area of responsibility of the New York air traffic controllers.
Some media earlier reported that the route of the plane, which is en route from Sheremetyevo to Havana, travels through the U.S. airspace.