This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/24/obama-calls-hollande-nsa-no-longer-spying-french-president

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Obama calls Hollande to promise NSA is no longer spying on French president Obama calls Hollande to promise NSA is no longer spying on French president
(about 4 hours later)
Barack Obama has assured the French president, François Hollande, that American intelligence services are no longer tapping his phone. Barack Obama has assured the French president, François Hollande, that American intelligence services are no longer tapping his phone. During a brief telephone call, the American leader was reported to have reiterated a pledge made two years ago to stop spying on his French counterpart, according to Hollande’s office.
During a brief telephone call, the American leader was reported to have reiterated a pledge made two years ago to stop spying on his French counterpart, according to Hollande’s office.
But a vaguely worded statement released shortly afterwards by the White House failed to clarify whether the National Security Agency was still bugging the conversations and emails of other French diplomats and officials.But a vaguely worded statement released shortly afterwards by the White House failed to clarify whether the National Security Agency was still bugging the conversations and emails of other French diplomats and officials.
The statement said Obama had “affirmed our unwavering commitment to the bilateral relationship including our ongoing close cooperation in the intelligence and security fields. The president reiterated that we have abided by the commitment we made to our French counterparts in late 2013 that we are not targeting and will not target the communications of the French president.”The statement said Obama had “affirmed our unwavering commitment to the bilateral relationship including our ongoing close cooperation in the intelligence and security fields. The president reiterated that we have abided by the commitment we made to our French counterparts in late 2013 that we are not targeting and will not target the communications of the French president.”
It added that it was “committed to our productive and indispensible intelligence relationship with France, which allows us to make progress against shared threats, including international terrorism and proliferation, among others”. It added that it was “committed to our productive and indispensable intelligence relationship with France, which allows us to make progress against shared threats, including international terrorism and proliferation, among others” – but left open the question of whether the US continued to spy on others in France.
The communique left wide open the question of whether the US continued to spy on others in France. Earlier on Wednesday, the US ambassador to France, Jane Hartley, was summoned to the French foreign ministry in Paris to face an expected dressing-down from the foreign minister, Laurent Fabius.
Earlier on Wednesday, the US ambassador to France, Jane Hartley, was summoned to the French foreign ministry in Paris to face a demand for an explanations and an expected dressing-down from the foreign minister, Laurent Fabius.
Related: François Hollande holds emergency meeting after WikiLeaks claims US spied on three French presidentsRelated: François Hollande holds emergency meeting after WikiLeaks claims US spied on three French presidents
The meeting came after Hollande called an emergency defence council meeting and described revelations that the US spied on three successive French presidents as unacceptable. He said Paris would not tolerate actions that threaten its security. The meeting came after Hollande called an emergency defence council meeting and described revelations that the US spied on three successive French presidents as unacceptable. He said Paris would not tolerate actions that threaten its security. WikiLeaks documents published late on Tuesday showed that the US had bugged French leaders’ telephones.
WikiLeaks documents published late on Tuesday showed that the US had bugged French leaders’ telephones. Hollande’s office said the French president had phoned Obama on Wednesday afternoon. “The exchange was a change to emphasise the principles that must govern relations between allies in matters of intelligence,” the Elysée said. “President Obama clearly reiterated the firm pledge he made in November 2013, after the Snowden affair, and which was repeated during the state visit [by Hollande] in February 2014, to end practices that might have operated in the past but which are unacceptable between allies.”
Hollande’s office said the French president had phoned Obama on Wednesday afternoon. “The exchange was a change to emphasise the principles that must govern relations between allies in matters of intelligence,” the Elysée said. A government spokesman, Stéphane le Foll, announced that a senior French intelligence official is to visit the US in the coming days for further discussions with American counterparts. “We find it hard to understand or imagine what motivates an ally to spy on allies who are often on the same strategic positions in world affairs,” Le Foll added.
“President Obama clearly reiterated the firm pledge he made in November 2013, after the Snowden affair, and which was repeated during the state visit [by Hollande] in February 2014, to end practices that might have operated in the past but which are unacceptable between allies.
“French intelligence officials will very soon travel to Washington to increase cooperation.”
A government spokesman, Stéphane Le Foll, announced a senior French intelligence official would visit the US in the coming days for further discussions with American counterparts.
“We find it hard to understand or imagine what motivates an ally to spy on allies who are often on the same strategic positions in world affairs,” Le Foll added.
The revelations were first reported in French daily Libération and on news website Mediapart, which said the NSA spied on Hollande and his prececessors Nicolas Sarkozy and Jacques Chirac for 10 years up until 2012.The revelations were first reported in French daily Libération and on news website Mediapart, which said the NSA spied on Hollande and his prececessors Nicolas Sarkozy and Jacques Chirac for 10 years up until 2012.
Hollande held a second crisis meeting with parliamentary groups at his Élysée Palace offices on Wednesday afternoon. Afterwards, the prime minister, Manuel Valls, told MPs the “systematic and continued” spying on foreign leaders by the US was “unacceptable and abnormal”. Valls said he could reassure MPs that France did not eavesdrop on the leaders of European and allied countries. Hollande held a second crisis meeting with parliamentary groups at his Élysée Palace offices on Wednesday afternoon. Afterwards, the prime minister, Manuel Valls, told MPs that the “systematic and continued” spying on foreign leaders by the US was “unacceptable and abnormal”. Valls said he could reassure MPs that France did not eavesdrop on the leaders of European and allied countries.
Related: Barack Obama calls François Hollande following NSA revelations in FranceRelated: Barack Obama calls François Hollande following NSA revelations in France
“Our country is loyal and knows the historical debt it owes America, but this gratitude cannot prevent us from protecting our country and citizens,” he said.“Our country is loyal and knows the historical debt it owes America, but this gratitude cannot prevent us from protecting our country and citizens,” he said.
The leaked US documents, marked top secret, were based on phone taps and filed in an NSA document labelled “Espionnage Élysée” (Élysée spying), according to Libération and Mediapart. The leaked US documents, marked top secret, were based on phone taps and filed in an NSA document labelled “Espionnage Élysée” (Élysée spying), according to Libération and Mediapart. The recorded conversations were said to reveal few state secrets but show clear evidence of the extent of American spying on countries considered allies. WikiLeaks documents suggest that other US spy targets included French cabinet ministers and the French ambassador to the US.
The recorded conversations, which were handled by the summary services unit at the NSA, were said to reveal few state secrets but show clear evidence of the extent of American spying on countries considered allies. WikiLeaks documents suggest that other US spy targets included French cabinet ministers and the French ambassador to the US.
“The documents contain the ‘selectors’ from the target list, detailing the cellphone numbers of numerous officials in the Élysée up to and including the direct cellphone of the president,” a report of the taps published in the French media revealed.“The documents contain the ‘selectors’ from the target list, detailing the cellphone numbers of numerous officials in the Élysée up to and including the direct cellphone of the president,” a report of the taps published in the French media revealed.
In an article co-authored by Julian Assange, the French newspaper Libération pointed out that in matters of spying, there are no friends. It said: “Spying abroad is the ultimate ‘grey zone’ in surveillance – it is also, in France, the real blind spot of the planned law on surveillance, expected to be adopted this Wednesday.”In an article co-authored by Julian Assange, the French newspaper Libération pointed out that in matters of spying, there are no friends. It said: “Spying abroad is the ultimate ‘grey zone’ in surveillance – it is also, in France, the real blind spot of the planned law on surveillance, expected to be adopted this Wednesday.”
Mediapart said: “For almost 10 years, the United States has listened in to French presidents … it was all classed top secret or ‘special intelligence’.”Mediapart said: “For almost 10 years, the United States has listened in to French presidents … it was all classed top secret or ‘special intelligence’.”
US media cited a statement from the NSA saying it was not targeting and would not target Hollande’s communications. The statement did not deny spying had taken place in the past.US media cited a statement from the NSA saying it was not targeting and would not target Hollande’s communications. The statement did not deny spying had taken place in the past.
Le Point magazine pointed out that France spends about €1bn (£700m) a year on its secret and intelligence services, compared with €60bn the US spends. It said this illustrated a “difference of means, but not of methods” and said the WikiLeaks revelations were nothing new. Le Point magazine pointed out that France spends about €1bn (£700m) a year on its intelligence services, compared with the €60bn the US spends. It said this illustrated a “difference of means, but not of methods” and said the WikiLeaks revelations were nothing new.
“The secret and intelligence services have always had the role of discovering and sending to political leaders, diplomats and military personnel information allowing them to make their decisions,” it wrote. “The brutal fact is, being allies over one thing doesn’t mean we share everything or hold back on spying on our little friend.”“The secret and intelligence services have always had the role of discovering and sending to political leaders, diplomats and military personnel information allowing them to make their decisions,” it wrote. “The brutal fact is, being allies over one thing doesn’t mean we share everything or hold back on spying on our little friend.”
Bernard Debré, a member of Sarkozy’s opposition Republican party, went further, writing on his blog: “Politicians are astonished to have been spied on by the Americans! It’s a bloody hypocrisy. For years everyone has been listened in on by the NSA, the NSA has been accused by senators and governors and has drastically reduced its activity … and at the same time, France is going in the opposite direction.”Bernard Debré, a member of Sarkozy’s opposition Republican party, went further, writing on his blog: “Politicians are astonished to have been spied on by the Americans! It’s a bloody hypocrisy. For years everyone has been listened in on by the NSA, the NSA has been accused by senators and governors and has drastically reduced its activity … and at the same time, France is going in the opposite direction.”
Arnaud Danjean, a former member of France’s intelligence service, the DGSE, and now an MEP for the Republican party, said there was nothing new in the revelations.Arnaud Danjean, a former member of France’s intelligence service, the DGSE, and now an MEP for the Republican party, said there was nothing new in the revelations.
“It’s all very emotional, but on a technical and geopolitical level there’s nothing new in reporting that spies are spying. Being an ally doesn’t mean that you tell each other everything,” Danjean told France Info.“It’s all very emotional, but on a technical and geopolitical level there’s nothing new in reporting that spies are spying. Being an ally doesn’t mean that you tell each other everything,” Danjean told France Info.
“When one is a diplomat, one knows one is a target. When you’re someone in the public sphere, you start from the principle that foreign countries are interested in you, you take defensive measures as a result.“When one is a diplomat, one knows one is a target. When you’re someone in the public sphere, you start from the principle that foreign countries are interested in you, you take defensive measures as a result.
Wikileaks said it planned to publish more details of the US’s espionage activities against France soon.