EU eyes intel deal revamp

"> French President Francois Hollande, left, talks to British Prime minister David Cameron, right, while German Chancellor Angela Merkel talks with Sweden Prime minister Frederik Reinfeldt during EU summit in Brussels, yesterday. Photo: AFPEuropean leaders yesterday said they want a new deal with Washington to end a damaging spy row so as to keep an essential alliance and the fight against terrorism on track.
The aim should be to agree rules for intelligence gathering rather than seek a pointless confrontation, Belgian Prime Minister Elio di Rupo said.
"The objective must remain the same -- to fight against terrorism but also respect privacy," Di Rupo said as he arrived for the second day of an EU leaders summit which has been dominated by revelations of US spying operations across Europe.
"Everyone can understand the need for exceptional measures given the danger of terrorism ... but we are not in the position where we should spy on each other," he said.
France and Germany are to try to reach an understanding with Washington by year's end on intelligence gathering.
A statement approved by all 28 EU leaders -- including Britain which has tight intelligence links with the United States -- noted "the close relationship between Europe and the USA and the value of that partnership."
This must "be based on respect and trust," a lack of which "could prejudice the necessary cooperation in the field of intelligence gathering".
EU leaders "stressed that intelligence gathering is a vital element in the fight against terrorism," the statement added.
Revelations of US covert surveillance, topped by reports German Chancellor Angela Merkel's mobile phone had been tapped, have sparked outrage in Europe.
"Spying between friends, that's just not done," Merkel said.
"We need trust between partners and such trust needs to be re-established," she said.
The growing scandal has embroiled US President Barack Obama in embarrassing exchanges with key allies -- from France and Germany to Brazil and Mexico.
Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy yesterday said he would call in the US ambassador to Madrid to explain reports of American spying on the country, a close ally of Washington.
Spanish media reports said the US National Security Agency had spied on several members of the government and politicians, including former Socialist prime minister Rodriguez Zapatero.
More could follow after a fresh slew of damaging revelations in a report in Britain's Guardian daily saying Washington had listened in on the phone conversations of 35 world leaders.
French President Francois Hollande called for a new code of conduct, recalling that the EU had set up a special unit to review the issue after leaks by fugitive former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden earlier this year.
In another twist, the Washington Post reported that the United States was warning some foreign intelligence services that documents obtained by Snowden contain details of how they cooperate secretly with Washington.
Citing unnamed US administration officials, it said some of the tens of thousands of documents harvested by the fugitive former intelligence contractor contain sensitive material about programmes against countries such as Iran, Russia and China.
The scandal has sparked widespread anger in Europe, with some senior EU officials suggesting talks on a massive EU-US free-trade agreement could be suspended.
The European Parliament has already asked for a key EU-US bank data-sharing deal aimed at fighting terrorism to be suspended.