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French president says US spying allegations threaten trade

François Hollande said there could be no negotiations or transactions in any areas until France obtained guarantees that spying stops now.

La rédaction de Mediapart

This article is freely available.

French President Francois Hollande has warned Washington that allegations of its spying on its allies threaten talks on a crucial free trade pact, despite US efforts to play down the row, reports FRANCE 24.

European sources said anger over the alleged bugging of EU offices was genuine and warned the scandal could escalate into a "serious" political crisis

The crisis comes as Washington and the EU are set to begin sensitive talks next week on the biggest free trade deal ever negotiated.

US Secretary of State John Kerry's insistence Monday that information-gathering was "not unusual" did little to stem increasing European fury.

Hollande called on Washington to immediately put an end to spying on EU diplomatic missions.

His was the first direct response by a European head of the state to the scandal.

Hollande said Paris had demanded answers from Washington about reports that the US National Security Agency (NSA) bugged European offices and embassies.

"We cannot accept this kind of behaviour between partners and allies," he told journalists during a visit to the western city of Lorient.

"We ask that this immediately stop," he added.

"There can be no negotiations or transactions in all areas until we have obtained these guarantees, for France but also for all of the European Union."

Read more of this AFP report published by FRANCE 24.