Ecuador: His protection is issue of freedom of expression

Hanoi, June 24
Ecuador's foreign minister said protection for fugitive US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden was an issue of "freedom of expression" as his government analyses a request for asylum by the whistleblower.

"We will make a decision. We are analysing it," Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino told reporters through a translator in Hanoi of the asylum request by Snowden.

"It (the request) has to do with freedom of expression and the security of citizens around the world," he added.

"We always act by principle not in our own interest. There are some governments who act more on their own interests, we do not."

The 30-year-old IT contractor was expected to head to Ecuador via Cuba and AFP correspondents at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport saw an Ecuadoran-flagged diplomatic car at VIP arrivals.

"We know he is in Moscow, we're in talks with higher authorities," Patino, who is on an official visit to communist Vietnam, said.

The South American country, led by outspoken leftist President Rafael Correa, has been sheltering WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is wanted by Sweden, at its London embassy for the past year. — AFP