Germany on Thursday summoned the US ambassador to Berlin over suspicions that Washington spied on Chancellor Angela Merkel’s mobile phone, a foreign ministry spokeswoman said.
Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle will personally meet with US envoy John B Emerson later on Thursday, the spokeswoman said, in a highly unusual step between the decades-long allies.
“The American ambassador was summoned for talks with Foreign Minister Westerwelle this afternoon,” the spokeswoman said.
“The position of the German government will be presented clearly.”
Merkel had called US President Obama Wednesday demanding answers after learning US spies may have monitored her phone, warning this would be “breach of trust” between international partners.
The White House spokesman said it is not now listening in on Merkel, but did not deny the possibility her communications may have been intercepted in the past.