Accused U.S. spy must be tried in Russia, Putin tells Larry King

Tonight Larry King welcomes Russian President Vladimir Putin to his CNN's "Larry King Live" in New York

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin says Edmund Pope, the American businessman accused of espionage, must be tried in a Russian court.

"Then, in the spirit of the good relationship between our two countries, we will see what we can do," Putin said in an interview with Larry King.

Pope, who suffers from diabetes, is being held in a dilapidated Russian prison. His wife and U.S. doctors have been unable to visit him.

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In a meeting with Putin on Wednesday, U.S. President Bill Clinton raised the issue of Pope's well-being.

"We are not hiding anything," Putin told King. "I have told about it to my American colleague in detail. In our country as elsewhere the legal process should be finalized. ... Ultimately it's only the court who in a democratic state can decide whether the man is to be blamed or not."

Watch the interview on "Larry King Live" at 9 p.m. EDT. Then read the full story here on CNN.Com

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