As the WikiLeaks website promises further revelations about US espionage against France, France summoned the US ambassador on Wednesday, July 3, in response to this action by the US government. According to Reuters from Paris, François Hollande, the President of France, called the US action 'unacceptable' following an emergency government meeting on the same day. The French Foreign Ministry also summoned the US ambassador to provide explanations. Reuters reports that the US embassy in Paris declined to comment on the matter, but the US National Security Council stated in a statement that Hollande is not a target of US espionage and surveillance. Earlier on Wednesday, the French government condemned the espionage of allies against each other, deeming it 'unacceptable' after information emerged about US spying on French presidents. According to AFP, Stéphane Le Foll, the French government spokesman, said just before an emergency meeting in Paris chaired by François Hollande with key ministers and senior defense and intelligence officials, 'Accepting this act (espionage) among allies is unacceptable and difficult.' The spokesman added, 'When we are fighting terrorism, it is difficult and incomprehensible for one partner to spy on others.' François Hollande gathered members of the National Defense and Security Council in an emergency meeting at the Élysée Palace to discuss the nature of the published news and to draw conclusions about it. The WikiLeaks website, in a new round of releasing classified documents, announced that the US National Security Agency had spied on Jacques Chirac and Nicolas Sarkozy, former presidents of France, and François Hollande, the current president, along with several ministers and senior parliamentary and diplomatic officials in France for nearly a decade. The latest leaked document dates back to May 2012, just a few days after Hollande's victory in the presidential election. Part of this document refers to secret meetings of the French president discussing the consequences of Greece's exit from the Eurozone. WikiLeaks has promised to publish more documents regarding US espionage against France. According to AFP, the White House National Security Council stated that it does not intend to comment on the release of these documents. Previously, WikiLeaks had reported on the surveillance of confidential conversations of Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, and her espionage by the US National Security Agency, which led to a reaction from German government officials.
In Response to WikiLeaks Report: France Summons US Ambassador
France summoned the US ambassador in response to revelations from WikiLeaks about US espionage on French leaders, calling the actions 'unacceptable.' President François Hollande condemned the spying during an emergency government meeting, emphasizing the difficulty of ally espionage amid counter-terrorism efforts. This incident raises significant concerns about trust and cooperation among allies.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
France summoned the US ambassador in response to WikiLeaks' revelations of US espionage on French leaders, which President Hollande condemned as 'unacceptable.' This incident has raised serious concerns about trust among allies.
- WikiLeaks disclosed that the US had spied on multiple French presidents and officials for nearly a decade.
- The French government held an emergency meeting to address the implications of these espionage activities.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Espionage among allies has historically been a contentious issue, with recent revelations highlighting the extent of US surveillance on foreign leaders, raising ethical concerns.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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