France denies blocking Bolivian plane amid rumours NSA leaker Snowden was aboard

PARIS – French officials are denying that France refused to let the Bolivian president’s plane cross over French airspace amid suspicions that NSA leaker Edward Snowden was aboard.

The plane carrying President Evo Morales was rerouted to Austria Tuesday night. Bolivian officials said that France and other European governments blocked it from flying over their territories.

But two officials with the French Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that Morales’ plane had authorization to fly over France. They would not comment on why Bolivian officials said otherwise. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be publicly named according to ministry policy.

France’s government has firmly criticized reported surveillance of U.S. allies by the National Security Agency but has not offered public support for Snowden.