France and Germany want talks with the United States to settle a spying row after US eavesdropping on German Chancellor Angela Merkel's mobile and French citizens' calls, the EU announced today.
The leaders of the 28-state European Union "took note of the intention of France and Germany to seek bilateral talks with the US", EU President Herman Van Rompuy told a press conference after a first night of summit talks wrapped up.
Van Rompuy said other countries could participate alongside Berlin and Paris should they wish, as Merkel and French President Francois Hollande seek "an agreement or an understanding in the field of secret services".
Van Rompuy said British Prime Minister David Cameron "agreed with the text as it stands".
He added, "Of course the UK has a special relationship ... but they are completely on board."
Van Rompuy said new rules for "mutual relations" in the intelligence sphere were essential for trust, "so that we are sure these kind of incidents don't occur again".
Citing "deep concern among European citizens", he said that while intelligence-gathering remains a vital element in the fight against terrorism, this new understanding "applies to relations between European countries as it applies to relations with the US".
