LASK: European concerns about alleged electronic eavesdropping by US intelligence should not be allowed to cloud trade talks next week between the United States and the European Union, US Secretary of State John Kerry said yesterday.
US and European negotiators are scheduled to start a second round of week-long talks on November 11 in Brussels to try to hammer out what would be the world’s biggest free-trade deal.
“This is a trade partnership. It has the ability to lift all of our countries,” Kerry said during a visit to Poland. “(It) is really separate from any other issues that people may have on their minds.”
European governments have asked Washington for explanations after newspapers published allegations that the US National Security Agency (NSA) monitored the mobile phones of senior officials, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Kerry said the proposed free trade deal would create the most powerful marketplace on the face of the planet.
“Together that can have a profound positive impact to our people, it will put millions of people to work, create new jobs, more opportunities and it is worth pushing for,” Kerry said.
“Now that should not be confused with whatever legitimate questions exist with respect to NSA or other issues. We want to hear from our allies, we want to have this conversation.”
Referring to the role of intelligence agencies in both Europe and the United States in protecting citizens from threats to their security, Kerry said: “We’re all in this together.”
REUTERS
