Merkel, Hollande to discuss European communication network avoiding U.S.
Merkel, Hollande to discuss European communication network
avoiding U.S.
Reuters – 1 hr 0 mins ago
BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said
on Saturday she would talk to French President Francois Hollande about building
up a European communication network to avoid emails and other data passing
through the United States.
Merkel, who visits France on Wednesday, has been pushing
for greater data protection in Europe following reports last year about mass
surveillance in Germany and elsewhere by the U.S. National Security Agency.
Even Merkel's cell phone was reportedly monitored by American spies.
Merkel said in her weekly podcast that she disapproved of
companies such as Google and Facebook basing their operations in countries with
low levels of data protection while being active in countries such as Germany
with high data protection.
"We'll talk with France about how we can maintain a
high level of data protection," Merkel said.
"Above all, we'll talk about European providers that
offer security for our citizens, so that one shouldn't have to send emails and
other information across the Atlantic. Rather, one could build up a
communication network inside Europe."
Hollande's office confirmed that the governments had been
discussing the matter and said Paris agreed with Berlin's proposals.
"Now that the German government is formed, it is
important that we take up the initiative together," an official said.
Government snooping is a particularly sensitive subject
in Germany due to the heavy surveillance of citizens practised in communist
East Germany and under Hitler, and there was widespread outrage at the
revelations of NSA surveillance by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.
"We've got to do more for data protection in Europe,
there's no doubt about it," Merkel said on Saturday.
Germany has been pushing, so far in vain, for a 'no-spy'
agreement with Washington.
Merkel she plans to discuss closer cooperation on climate
protection with Hollande ahead of a global climate conference in France next
year, as well as security policies, in particular with respect to Africa.
(Reporting By Erik Kirschbaum, additional reporting by
Julien Ponthus in Paris; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
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