News that the United State's national Security Agency (NSA) had conducted mass electronic surveillance globally and had tapped the mobile devices of world leaders, has angered close allies.
That includes France and Germany, who both want talks for new rules of intelligence relations with the U.S. by the end of the year. Following the European Union summit in Brussels, both nations want to hold talks with the U.S. to settle the matter.
One person already voicing her opinion is Angela Merkel. The German Chancellor complained to President Barack Obama in a phone call Wednesday after it was revealed that U.S. intelligence may have targeted her mobile phone. German news magazine Der Spiegel had published the allegations of NSA leaker Edward Snowden.
According Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert, the chancellor has made it clear to Obama that "she views such practices, if the indications are confirmed... as completely unacceptable."
"That would be a serious breach of trust," added Seibert. "Such practices must be stopped immediately." Growing up in former communist East Germany, Merkel understands secret police surveillance. Merkel first raised concerns over electronic eavesdropping with Obama in June when he visited Germany.
However, denying the allegations, White House spokesman Jay Carney said, "the United States is not monitoring and will not monitor the communications of the chancellor" in Washington.
Meanwhile, a special European cell has already set up to deal with a wave of disclosures concerning U.S.' ultra-secret NSA activities by Snowden, said French President Francois Hollande to reporters.
There has also been suggestions the EU should suspend free-trade talks with Washington, as a penalty, according to reports.
Hollande mentioned that the subject of the U.S. intelligence operation won't be going away soon, and knows "there will be more revelations."
Former US secretary of state Madeleine Albright said it's not surprising to see "countries spying on each other," as France had spied on her while she was in government.
Veteran French EU commissioner Michel Barnier said that confidence in the U.S. "had been shaken." Barnier also added that Europe must develop its own strategic digital tools independent of American oversight, such as a "European data cloud."
