Snowden says he'd like to return to Geneva
(Reuters) - Edward Snowden has made a public appeal for Switzerland to grant him asylum, saying he would like to return to live in Geneva, where he once worked undercover for the Central Intelligence Agency.
The fugitive former U.S. spy agency contractor, wanted by Washington for leaking details of U.S. mass surveillance programs, spoke from Moscow by video link to a Geneva audience after a viewing of "Citizenfour", an Oscar-winning documentary about his case.
"I would love to return to Switzerland, some of my favorite memories are from Geneva. It's a wonderful place," he told the International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights on Thursday night, where he was asked about seeking asylum.
"I do think Switzerland would be a sort of great political option because it has a history of neutrality," he said, praising its multicultural diversity and human rights record.
Snowden said he had appealed to 21 countries, "the majority in central and Western Europe", for asylum after the United States canceled his passport and he was stopped from going to Ecuador.
"Unfortunately no country said yes," he said, blaming "political interference" by the Obama administration.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/06/us-swiss-usa-snowden-idUSKBN0M21KO20150306
Seriously? He's still spewing that same old canard?
What's preventing him from leaving his cushy apartment, walking down the street to the national embassy of his choice, and requesting asylum? Unlike Assange, Snowden isn't wanted by the local (Russian) authorities, so assuming he's telling the truth about being a "free" man in Moscow who does what he wants, nobody should prevent him from leaving...
= new reply since forum marked as read
Switzerland doesn't trust him either. Like the rest of Europe, they're wary of Putin, and anyone associated with him.
