US Refuses to Promise to Stop Spying on German Officials, German Paper Reports
"The Americans have lied to us," says source quoted by Sueddeutsche Zeitung

According to Sueddeutsche Zeitung, the U.S. refusal has put talks towards a no-spying agreement between the two counties in jeopardy.
Outrage in Berlin erupted in October when leaks showed that the National Security Agency had targeted the mobile phone of German Chancellor Angela Merkel. That revelation came just months after the U.S. and its spy partner had agreed to begin negotiations towards an accord not to spy on each other.
Reporting on the news from Munich paper, the Guardian writes:
"We are not getting anything," the newspaper quotes a source from within the German foreign intelligence agency. "The Americans have lied to us," said another source.
As well as refusing to inform German authorities of when the NSA had been bugging the chancellor's mobile phone, the US is not commenting on plans for current or future surveillance activities in relation to German political leaders.
Reuters reported on the story as well:
The widely respected Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported the talks were close to collapse because U.S. officials refused to promise that Washington will refrain from eavesdropping on German ministers or other top government officials.
"We're not getting anything," a German BND intelligence agency source was quoted by the Munich daily as saying.
A government source in Berlin told Reuters the United States remained interested in a deal but was loath to give a blanket pledge not to try to monitor government members.
Other U.S. and German officials said discussions towards a no-spying accord were continuing, though Agence France-Presse adds that
Senior US officials have signaled for months they will not agree to a blanket "no spying" pact, fearing such an agreement would set a precedent that would lead to similar demands from other nations.
__________________
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |

According to Sueddeutsche Zeitung, the U.S. refusal has put talks towards a no-spying agreement between the two counties in jeopardy.
Outrage in Berlin erupted in October when leaks showed that the National Security Agency had targeted the mobile phone of German Chancellor Angela Merkel. That revelation came just months after the U.S. and its spy partner had agreed to begin negotiations towards an accord not to spy on each other.
Reporting on the news from Munich paper, the Guardian writes:
"We are not getting anything," the newspaper quotes a source from within the German foreign intelligence agency. "The Americans have lied to us," said another source.
As well as refusing to inform German authorities of when the NSA had been bugging the chancellor's mobile phone, the US is not commenting on plans for current or future surveillance activities in relation to German political leaders.
Reuters reported on the story as well:
The widely respected Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported the talks were close to collapse because U.S. officials refused to promise that Washington will refrain from eavesdropping on German ministers or other top government officials.
"We're not getting anything," a German BND intelligence agency source was quoted by the Munich daily as saying.
A government source in Berlin told Reuters the United States remained interested in a deal but was loath to give a blanket pledge not to try to monitor government members.
Other U.S. and German officials said discussions towards a no-spying accord were continuing, though Agence France-Presse adds that
Senior US officials have signaled for months they will not agree to a blanket "no spying" pact, fearing such an agreement would set a precedent that would lead to similar demands from other nations.
__________________

According to Sueddeutsche Zeitung, the U.S. refusal has put talks towards a no-spying agreement between the two counties in jeopardy.
Outrage in Berlin erupted in October when leaks showed that the National Security Agency had targeted the mobile phone of German Chancellor Angela Merkel. That revelation came just months after the U.S. and its spy partner had agreed to begin negotiations towards an accord not to spy on each other.
Reporting on the news from Munich paper, the Guardian writes:
"We are not getting anything," the newspaper quotes a source from within the German foreign intelligence agency. "The Americans have lied to us," said another source.
As well as refusing to inform German authorities of when the NSA had been bugging the chancellor's mobile phone, the US is not commenting on plans for current or future surveillance activities in relation to German political leaders.
Reuters reported on the story as well:
The widely respected Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported the talks were close to collapse because U.S. officials refused to promise that Washington will refrain from eavesdropping on German ministers or other top government officials.
"We're not getting anything," a German BND intelligence agency source was quoted by the Munich daily as saying.
A government source in Berlin told Reuters the United States remained interested in a deal but was loath to give a blanket pledge not to try to monitor government members.
Other U.S. and German officials said discussions towards a no-spying accord were continuing, though Agence France-Presse adds that
Senior US officials have signaled for months they will not agree to a blanket "no spying" pact, fearing such an agreement would set a precedent that would lead to similar demands from other nations.
__________________

