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Al-Ahed Telegram

Hollande Tells Obama of Deep Disapproval of US Spying

Hollande Tells Obama of Deep Disapproval of US Spying
folder_openFrance access_time10 years ago
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French President Francois Hollande condemned US spying on French citizens in a call with President Barack Obama on Monday, as a row escalated over US eavesdropping on millions of French phone calls.

Hollande Tells Obama of Deep Disapproval of US SpyingHollande's office said in a statement that he had expressed "deep disapproval of these practices, which are unacceptable between friends and allies because they infringe on the privacy of French citizens."

Hollande "asked that all explanations be provided, as well as all information that could be at the disposal of former NSA consultant Edward Snowden."
The statement said the two leaders had agreed "to work together to determine the facts and the exact scope of surveillance activities" revealed by French newspaper Le Monde.

The two stressed that surveillance operations should be put into a "bilateral framework" and agreed that US and French intelligence agencies would "work together to this effect," the statement said.
For its part, The White House said that some of the allegations of US activities carried in the French press were "distorted".
The White House brushed off France's protests over the latest NSA spying allegations, saying "all nations" conduct espionage operations.
Washington, in line with its normal procedure, declined to comment on the specific charges that outraged its ally.

But National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said in a statement that "we have made clear that the United States gathers foreign intelligence of the type gathered by all nations".
She added, "As the president said in his speech at the UN General Assembly, we've begun to review the way that we gather intelligence, so that we properly balance the legitimate security concerns of our citizens and allies with the privacy concerns that all people share."
"The President and President Hollande discussed recent disclosures in the press -- some of which have distorted our activities and some of which raise legitimate questions for our friends and allies about how these capabilities are employed," a White House statement said.

"The President made clear that the United States has begun to review the way that we gather intelligence, so that we properly balance the legitimate security concerns of our citizens and allies with the privacy concerns that all people share," the statement continued.

The White House said Obama and Hollande had "agreed that we should continue to discuss these issues in diplomatic channels moving forward".
The White House had initially brushed of France's protests over the lastest spying allegations, saying that "all nations" conduct espionage operations.

French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said earlier on Monday that he was "deeply shocked" by reports that the NSA had secretly monitored tens of millions of phone conversations within France and demanded an explanation.
The US ambassador to France, Charles Rivkin, was summoned to the foreign ministry in Paris over the claims, which were based on leaks from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden and published by "Le Monde" and the German weekly "Der Spiegel".

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team

 

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