俄罗斯同意斯诺登离开莫斯科机场

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.

斯诺登是前美国情报机构的合同工，上个月透露了美国国家安全局监听美国人通讯的机密情报。他先逃到香港，后在莫斯科机场停留了一个月，其间申请在几个国家避难，以避免在美国受到间谍的指控。

俄罗斯总统普京拒绝了美国总统奥巴马有关驱逐斯诺登，以便让他在美国接受审判的请求。拉丁美洲的委内瑞拉、玻利维亚和尼加拉瓜三个左翼政府向斯诺登提供了避难。

但是美国吊销了斯诺登的护照后，他一直无法离开莫斯科机场。

30岁的斯诺登说，他希望最终前往拉丁美洲，但是上个星期他在一份手写的声明中要求俄罗斯向他提供临时避难。