[An Nahar] Ecuador on Thursday denied ever authorizing a "safe passage" travel document to U.S. intelligence leaker Edward Snowden and said it would not be able to process his political asylum request until he enters Ecuadoran territory.
"We confirm that the government of Ecuador has not authorized the delivery of any safe passage or refugee document that would allow Mr. Snowden to travel to our country," Political Issues Minister Betty Tola told news hounds.
Tola added that Ecuador has not been able to process the U.S. runaway's asylum request "because the petitioner is not in Ecuadoran territory as the law mandates."
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, whose anti-secrecy website has assisted Snowden, said on Monday that Ecuador had given Snowden a "refugee document of passage" that would allow him to travel here.
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