Monday, July 1, 2013

France and Germany demand explanation for US 'Cold War' spying leaks

France and Germany have demanded the US account for leaked reports of massive-scale US spying on the EU. French President Francois Hollande called for an end to surveillance while Germany said such “Cold War-style behavior” was “unacceptable.”
The German government summoned the US ambassador to Germany, Philip Murphy, to Berlin on Monday to explain the incendiary reports.  Chancellor Merkel’s spokesperson said the government wants “trust restored." 

"If it is confirmed that diplomatic representations of the European Union and individual European countries have been spied upon, we will clearly say that bugging friends is unacceptable," said spokesman Steffen Seibert. 

"We are no longer in the Cold War," Seibert added. 

Germany is pushing for the formation of a US-EU trade agreement which would encourage economic growth. However, Seibert stressed that mutual trust is necessary in order to come to an agreement. 

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius also spoke out against the alleged spying program, calling for an explanation as quickly as possible."
German publication Der Spiegel reported on Sunday that the US National Security Agency (NSA) had bugged EU offices in Brussels, New York and Washington. The reports were based on data released by CIA fugitive Edward Snowden, who is currently believed to be held up in the transit zone of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport awaiting an answer on his asylum plea to Ecuador. 
Following the release of the report, the president of the EU parliament demanded an explanation from Washington, stressing that if the allegations were true there would be significant backlash on US-EU relations.
I am deeply worried and shocked about the allegations of US authorities spying on EU offices, said the President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz.
While the EU commissioner for justice, Viviane Reding, intimated that bilateral trade discussions may be put on hold while the accusations are investigated.
"We cannot negotiate over a big transatlantic market if there is the slightest doubt that our partners are carrying out spying activities on the offices of our negotiators," she said. 

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