Italy cannot grant the fugitive US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden an asylum as there are no legal or political conditions to do so, according to the Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino.

Italy cannot grant the fugitive US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden  an asylum as there are no legal or political conditions to do so, according to the Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino.

"We received the request for political asylum two days ago via a fax sent to the Italian embassy," Bonino said in an address to parliament on Thursday.

"The Italian rules require that who seeks an asylum has to submit his request to the embassy or on Italian territory," she said.

"Snowden does not meet this requirement, and this request cannot be accepted from a political point of view," she added.

Snowden is believed to be at Sheremetyevo airport since June 23, as he tries to escape US justice for leaking details about a vast US electronic surveillance programme.

Snowden has submitted requests for an asylum in 21 countries.