[beinasonging]

PARIS— France has asked the U.S. and Denmark for detail on their spying practicesafter revelations that Danish secret agents may have helped Washington spy onEuropean politicians, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

“There’sno space between us for suspicion, that’s why what we are waiting for isclarity. We have asked our Danish and American partners to share all therelevant information,” French President Emmanuel Macron said at a joint pressconference with Merkel on Monday afternoon.

Accordingto reports by multiple European news outlets, Denmark’s secret services helpedthe U.S. National Security Agency spy on European officials, including Merkel,between 2012 and 2014.

Macronsaid France’s request concerned past spying practices but also current ones.

“Ifthese revelations are correct, I want to say it is not acceptable among allies,very clearly. It is even less acceptable among allies and European partners, soI am attached to having ties between Americans and Europeans that are based ontrust,” Macron said. “There’s no space between us for suspicion.”

Merkelechoed Macron's comments at the press conference, held after a jointFrench-German Cabinet meeting.

“Ican only endorse the words of Emmanuel Macron," she said. "We havealready discussed these things a long time ago in connection with the NSA. Ourposition in relation to the investigation of the issues at that time has notchanged. We rely on trusting relations and what was right then is right now. Iwas reassured by the fact that Denmark, too — the Danish government, theminister of defense — have made it very clear what they think of these things,and in this respect, I see a good basis not only for clearing up the facts butalso for really establishing relations based on trust.”

DanishDefense Minister Trine Bramsen told public broadcaster DR that“systematic interception of close allies is unacceptable.”

AmericanPresident Joe Biden was vice president at the time of the reported spying. Hewill meet with his European counterparts in mid-June for a series ofhigh-profile summits, starting with the G7 in the U.K., followed by a NATOsummit in Brussels and a U.S.-EU summit.

[Slowbro]

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