俄羅斯同意斯諾登離開莫斯科機場

The Russian state news agency said Wednesday that U.S. intelligence leaker Edward Snowden has been given documents to leave a Moscow airport transit zone and enter the country while officials consider his request for asylum.

Snowden, a former U.S. intelligence contractor, last month leaked details of American surveillance programs conducted by the clandestine National Security Agency. After first fleeing to Hong Kong, he has been encamped at the Moscow airport for a month while seeking asylum in numerous countries to avoid facing espionage charges in the U.S.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has refused a request from U.S. President Barack Obama to expel Snowden so he can stand trial in the U.S. Three leftist governments in Latin America -- Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua -- have offered Snowden asylum.

But after the U.S. revoked his passport, Snowden has not been able to leave the Moscow airport.

The 30-year-old Snowden says he wants to eventually head to Latin America. But last week, in a handwritten note, he asked Russia to grant him temporary asylum.俄羅斯國有媒體星期三報道，美國情報披露者斯諾登已經獲得有關文件，在俄羅斯當局考慮其政治庇護請求期間可以離開莫斯科機場轉機區，進入俄羅斯。

斯諾登是前美國情報機構的合同工，上個月透露了美國國家安全局監聽美國人通訊的機密情報。他先逃到香港，後在莫斯科機場停留了一個月，其間申請在幾個國家避難，以避免在美國受到間諜的指控。

俄羅斯總統普京拒絕了美國總統奧巴馬有關驅逐斯諾登，以便讓他在美國接受審判的請求。拉丁美洲的委內瑞拉、玻利維亞和尼加拉瓜三個左翼政府向斯諾登提供了避難。

但是美國吊銷了斯諾登的護照後，他一直無法離開莫斯科機場。

30歲的斯諾登說，他希望最終前往拉丁美洲，但是上個星期他在一份手寫的聲明中要求俄羅斯向他提供臨時避難。