MOSCOW, July 4 (RIA Novosti) - Moscow on Thursday criticized the closure of airspace by several European states to a Bolivian presidential aircraft en route from Russia on Tuesday, forcing it to land in Vienna.
The aircraft carrying Bolivian President Evo Morales had been in the air for over three hours after taking off from Moscow on Tuesday, when France, Spain and Portugal announced the closure of their airspace to it. The plane landed in the Austrian capital Vienna, but was later allowed to fly on to Bolivia.
“The steps undertaken by France, Spain and Portugal can be hardly described as friendly in regard to Bolivia as well as to Russia, from where Morales was flying after visiting Moscow,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“Moreover, the refusal to grant airspace passage rights for the aircraft could have created a threat to passengers on board the plane, including the head of a sovereign state,” the ministry added.
The aircraft was reportedly searched in a “voluntary inspection” while in Vienna, Deputy Chancellor Michael Spindelegger said on Wednesday, apparently on suspicion it might have fugitive US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden on board. The Bolivian Defense Minister later denied reports that the plane was searched.
Snowden, a former contractor for the US National Security Agency, is wanted by the United States for disclosing a top-secret surveillance program. He is now reportedly in the transit section of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport.
Bolivia accused France, Italy, Spain and Portugal of violating international law by closing their airspace to the presidential aircraft, and said the United States instigated the action by the nations involved.
The United States has not commented on the accusation.
