Spying Between Friends ‘Just Not Done’, Says German Chancellor Angela Merkel

BRUSSELS – GermanChancellor Angela Merkel,reportedly the target of USsnooping on her mobile phone,said on Thursday that suchconduct between friends wasunacceptable.”Spying between friends, that’sjust not done,” Merkel said asshe arrived for a two-dayEuropean Union summit wherethe growing spy scandal hashijacked the agenda.”I said that to US PresidentBarack Obama when he cameto Berlin and again on thephone (Wednesday),” Merkelsaid.”We need trust between partnersand such trust needs to bere-established,” she added.Earlier Thursday, Germanysummoned the US ambassadorto Berlin after reports saidMerkel’s mobile phone hadbeen monitored by US intelligenceservices.Merkel called Obama onWednesday to demand ananswer, warning that if thecharge was proved, it would beconsidered a “breach of trust”,according to a German statement.