SHARE
COPY LINK
US SPYING

NSA

Hollande tells Obama spying is ‘unacceptable’

US President Barack Obama had some explaining to do on Monday night when he phoned his French counterpart François Hollande over claims that a US spy agency had recorded millions of French calls. Hollande told Obama he "deeply disapproved" of spying on allies.

Hollande tells Obama spying is 'unacceptable'
It won't all have been smiles in a phonecall between Obama and Hollande on Monday, in which the French president said he disapproved of US spying. Photo: Bertrand Langlois/AFP

President Barack Obama spoke to France's President Francois Hollande Monday as a row raged between the long-time allies over claims a US spy agency eavesdropped on millions of phone calls of French
citizens.

The damage control operation came as the White House complained that some allegations of US activities carried in the French press were "distorted."

"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 two Presidents agreed that we should continue to discuss these issues in diplomatic channels moving forward," the statement said.

A statement in Paris quoted Hollande as telling Obama of France's "deep disapproval" of US spying.

Hollande said US spying practices "are unacceptable between friends and allies because they infringe on the privacy of French citizens," the statement said, adding that Hollande had demanded "explanations" from Obama.

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.

French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault earlier said he was "deeply shocked" by reports that the US National Security Agency 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, based on leaks from fugitive US ex-security analyst Edward Snowden and published by Le Monde and the German weekly Der Spiegel.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

TRAVEL

Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Monday 

Find out what’s going on in Norway on Monday with The Local’s short roundup of important news. 

Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Monday 
Oslo Operahus. Photo by Arvid Malde on Unsplash

Norwegian government to unveil more details around Covid certificate 

On Monday, the government will issue guidelines on how exactly its Covid-19 certificate will be used domestically.

At 3pm, the government will hold a press conference where they will reveal more about how the Covid-19 certificates will work.

The certificate launched on Friday, but so far, the government have been sparing with details on how it will be used. 

READ MORE: Explained: How to access Norway’s Covid-19 certificate 

They have, however, revealed the certificate would be used for access to large events as well as tours and cruises within Norway. 

We will have all the details on how the certificate will be used covered in an article later today. 

Ministry of Defence: No signs of espionage 

There is no evidence to suggest that Danish data cables were used to actively spy on Norwegian politicians by the US, Defence Minister Frank Bakke Jensen has told parliament. 

At the end of May, Danmarks Radio reported that the US used Danish data cables to spy on politicians across Europe. 

“These are serious allegations that the government takes very seriously. Based on what we know, it does not look like there has been activity (espionage) directed at Norwegian politicians,” Jensen said in a statement. 

READ MORE: Norway summons US embassy top official over spying claims 

“Systematic espionage is completely unacceptable. We are clear to the Danish and American authorities about this. We are also in active dialogue with Danish and American authorities and services about the information regarding this matter,” he added. 

One in ten Norwegians plan summer holiday abroad 

Only ten percent of respondents to a new survey have said they plan on going on holiday abroad this summer. 

According to the survey by employer organisation, Virke, the majority, 60 percent, said that their travel plans have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. 

Fewer children are being adopted from abroad in Norway 

In 2020, 46 children were adopted from abroad in Norway, half the number of foreign adoptions compared to 2019.

According to new figures from Statistics Norway, the number of foreign children being adopted in Norway is also less than 10 percent of what it was in 1998 when 795 foreign adoptions were registered. 

A total of 243 adoptions were recorded in Norway last year, almost 100 less than the year before. 

One of the reasons fewer foreign children are being adopted is that countries that have previously released children for adoption abroad can now take care of these children themselves, according to Statistics Norway.

96 new coronavirus cases

On Sunday, 96 new cases of Covid-19 were registered in Norway, 89 fewer than the seven-day average of 185. 

Fewer cases tend to be registered on weekends and public holidays than on weekdays. 

The R-number or reproduction rate in Norway is currently 0.9. This means that every ten people that are infected will, on average, only infect another nine people, indicating that the infection level is declining.

Total number of Covid-19 cases in Norway. Source: NIPH
SHOW COMMENTS