Local Editor
The White House, angry over Russia’s consideration of temporary asylum for NSA information leaker Edward Snowden, may cancel a planned fall meeting between US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Washington Times reported Friday.
The Associated Press didn’t cite sources, but said the White House has wagged the option and that it could ratchet up tensions between the two leaders.
White House officials speaking off-the-record said cancelling the meeting could also serve as a retaliatory action for Russia’s ongoing support of Syrian President Bashar Assad — in conflict with the position of the United States and the West, AP said.
Publicly, the White House is touting its upcoming international summit in St. Petersburg, Russia — but noticeably omitting mention of the planned Moscow meetings.
“The president (Obama) intends to travel to Russia for the G-20 Summit”, White House spokesman Jay Carney said, AP reported. “And I have no further announcements to make beyond what we’ve said in the past about the president’s travel to Russia in the fall”.
Source: Al Manar
