Dakar: President Barack Obama said he won't engage in "wheeling and dealing" or jeopardise cooperation on a broad range of issues with China or Russia in pursuit of leaker Edward Snowden.

At a news conference in Dakar, Senegal, the US president said he hasn't spoken personally with Chinese President Xi Jinping or Russian President Vladimir Putin as the US seeks Mr Snowden's extradition. "I shouldn't have to," Mr Obama said.

Security contractor Edward Snowden. Credit:AFP

Mr Obama also said he has no plans to use the military to intercept any flight with Snowden aboard. "No, I'm not going to be scrambling jets" to go after a "hacker," Mr Obama said.

Mr Obama's comments reflected efforts by the US to turn from confrontation to diplomacy in seeking the return of Mr Snowden, who Mr Putin has said is in the transit zone of a Moscow airport after authorities in Hong Kong permitted him to leave.