"The President (Vladimir Putin) said he is not dealing with this issue and prefers that corresponding services do this job. Thus, the subject is not on the agenda of the Kremlin," presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a local radio station.

　　He reminded that Putin said, on a visit to Finland earlier, that Snowden did not cross the border into Russia.

　　"As long as this is not our issue, I do not know what variants of developments can be and what legal and other aspects of this theme exist," the Itar-Tass news agency quoted Peskov as saying.

　　The official also noted that the Kremlin "registers a wide range of opinions expressed by different experts and human rights activists" on this issue.

　　"Public opinion on this theme is very diverse. We know about this and take this into consideration," Peskov said.

　　His remarks came one day after Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa said "a decision on Snowden's location is in the hands of the Russian authorities."

　　"For his political asylum bid to be considered, he should stay on the territory of Ecuador," Correa said.

　　Snowden, charged by the U.S. government with three felonies over disclosing a classified surveillance project, arrived in Moscow's Sheremetyevo international airport on June 23.

　　He could neither cross the Russian border, nor buy another air ticket to fly out since he does not have a Russian visa while his U.S. passport was annulled.