SUZAN FRASER
Associated Press
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey on Monday summoned Germany’s ambassador and demanded an explanation after an “unacceptable, inexcusable” report that Germany’s foreign intelligence agency targeted NATO ally Turkey in addition to eavesdropping on U.S. officials’ conversations.
German Ambassador Eberhard Pohl was also told that, if the reports were true, Turkey expected Germany to immediately stop any espionage targeting Turkey, according to the Foreign Ministry.
German magazine Der Spiegel reported Saturday that the agency, known by its German acronym BND, had inadvertently listened to calls made by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and predecessor Hillary Clinton. It also cited a confidential 2009 BND document listing Turkey as a target for intelligence gathering, but didn’t say what that spying involved.
If true, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said spying by Germany would be “unacceptable, inexcusable and would most certainly require an explanation.”
He said he would speak with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter-Steinmeier later Monday. German Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer said Monday’s meeting with the ambassador took place in a “friendly atmosphere.”
The U.S. has not commented.
German officials would not confirm Der Spiegel’s report. Government spokeswoman Christiane Wirtz said only that the government in July informed a parliamentary intelligence committee about some of the matters in the report and would inform it about the rest soon. The panel is sworn to secrecy.
Germany has complained for months about alleged American spy activity there, with reported eavesdropping on Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cellphone prompting a rebuke and an ongoing German investigation.
Some German lawmakers defended the idea of spying on Turkey. Christian Flisek, of the governing Social Democrats, noted that it is “a geopolitically important country.”
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Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed.
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