Germany demands explanation of US spying on Merkel’s phone
(VOVworld) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called US President Barack Obama to show her concern over the information that the US may have spied on her mobile phone for years and to demand an explanation. According to government spokesman Steffen Seibert, if the information is confirmed, it would be "completely unacceptable" and “a serious breach of trust" that must be halted immediately.
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| Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel uses her mobile phone before a meeting at a European Union summit in Brussels December 9, 2011. (Photo: Reuters) |
The strong reaction by Merkel followed a report in “De Spiegel” that US secret agents have monitored Merkel’s cell phone for years, which was confirmed by Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and the Federal Office for Information Technology. A US National Security Council spokesman said President Obama "assured" Merkel that the US is not monitoring her phone.