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WORLD NEWS Friday 16 June 2017

Putin sarcastically offers Comey political asylum in Russia

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV hopes for normalization of
NATALIYA VASILYEVA ties with the U.S.
Associated Press “We don’t see America as
MOSCOW (AP) — Wading our enemy,” he said.
into the furor surrounding He said Moscow and
the investigations of the Washington could coop-
Trump White House, Presi- erate to prevent the pro-
dent Vladimir Putin used a liferation of weapons of
national call-in show Thurs- mass destruction and pool
day to disparage what he efforts to tackle the North
called U.S. “political infight- Korean nuclear and missile
ing” that is blocking better problem.
relations with Russia. The two countries also
The Russian leader even could cooperate on glob-
sarcastically offered po- al poverty and preventing
litical asylum to fired FBI Di- climate change, he said,
rector James Comey. adding that the U.S. re-
Putin mixed the tough talk mains the essential player
with benevolent promises on climate despite Trump’s
about the Russian econ- decision to pull the U.S. out
omy to disgruntled callers of the Paris accord.
complaining about de- Russian President Vladimir Putin listens during his annual televised call-in show in Moscow on Moscow also hopes that
crepit housing and low sal- Thursday, June 15, 2017. the U.S. could play a “con-
aries during the four-hour (Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) structive role” in helping
marathon intended to bur- been living in Russia since reflection of “exacerbating On a conciliatory note, Pu- settle the Ukrainian crisis,
nish his father-of-the-nation being granted asylum in political infighting.” tin added that Russia still he said.q
image. 2013.
But the 64-year-old “It sounds and looks very
wouldn’t say if he plans to weird when the chief of a
seek another term in the security agency records his
2018 election, although he conversation with the com-
is widely expected to do mander in chief and then
so. hands it over to media via
Putin reaffirmed his denial his friend,” Putin said.
of allegations by U.S. in- “What’s the difference
telligence agencies that then between the FBI di-
the Kremlin meddled in rector and Mr. Snowden?”
the 2016 U.S. election, say- he asked.
ing that Russia has openly “In that case, he’s more of
expressed its views and a rights campaigner de-
hasn’t engaged in any co- fending a certain position
vert activities. than the security agency
He also tried to turn the chief.”
tables on the U.S., saying On an acerbic note, he
it has sought to influence added that if Comey “fac-
Russian elections by fund- es some sort of persecution
ing nongovernmental or- in connection with that, we
ganizations as part of its are ready to offer political
aspirations for world domi- asylum in Russia to him as
nation. well.”
“Turn a globe and point The remarks reflected Pu-
your finger anywhere, you tin’s frustration with the in-
will find American interests vestigations into alleged
and interference there,” links between President
he said. Donald Trump’s campaign
Putin also likened Comey and Russia. The inquiries
to Edward Snowden, a have dogged the White
contractor who leaked House, shattering Mos-
thousands of secret docu- cow’s hopes for improving
ments from the National ties with Washington.
Security Agency and has He called the allegations a