EU confronts U.S. over reports it spies on European allies
Baku, July 1 (AZERTAC). The European Union has demanded that the United States explain a report in a German magazine that Washington is spying on the group, using strong language to confront its closest trading partner over its alleged surveillance activities.
EU High Representative Catherine Ashton said on Sunday the U.S. authorities was immediately contacted about a report in Der Spiegel magazine that the U.S. spy agency had tapped EU offices in Washington, Brussels and at the United Nations.
"As soon as we saw these reports, the European External Action Service made contact with the U.S. authorities in both Washington D.C. and Brussels to seek urgent clarification of the veracity of and facts surrounding these allegations," Ashton said in a statement.
"The U.S. authorities have told us they are checking on the accuracy of the information released yesterday and will come back to us as soon as possible," she said. France also asked for an explanation. "These acts, if confirmed, would be completely unacceptable," Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said. The U.S. government said it would respond through diplomatic channels. "We will also discuss these issues bilaterally with EU member states," a spokesperson for the Director of National Intelligence said.
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