Germany rules out asylum for Snowden

[struggle4progress]

By Patrick Donahue
Bloomberg News
November 07, 2013

BERLIN — The German government ruled out granting asylum to Edward Snowden as a top aide to Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed optimism that Germany and the United States can rebuild trust after a fallout over spying.

Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich said there is no basis for asylum in Germany for the former US National Security Agency contractor because he is not a victim of political persecution. German authorities will instead seek ways to take testimony from Snowden in Moscow as part of an investigation of NSA activity.

Ronald Pofalla, Merkel’s chief of staff, said President Obama will present a new intelligence-cooperation framework between the United States and Germany in mid-December.

‘‘This way I think we will be able to win back the trust that’s been lost,’’ Pofalla told reporters in Berlin on Wednesday after a meeting of a parliamentary committee that oversees intelligence matters ...

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/07/us-usa-security-snowden-germany-idUSBRE9A60W920131107

[struggle4progress]

1. Germans see Snowden as hero but don't favor asylum: poll

(Reuters) - ... Six out of 10 people polled for public broadcaster ARD said they admired the former U.S. spy agency contractor, against 14 percent who thought of him as a criminal.

But only 46 percent were in favor of offering Snowden political asylum in Germany, with 48 percent against ...

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/07/us-usa-security-snowden-germany-idUSBRE9A60W920131107