UN voices ‘concern’ at reports of US spying on UN chief
- UN chief’s spokesman responded to media report about US surveillance in wake of leak of highly classified documents
- White House official attempted to play down contents of documents, calling them ‘incomplete snapshots in time’
The United Nations has formally expressed its “concern” to the United States after press reports revealed surveillance of Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ communications, his spokesman said, denouncing actions “inconsistent with (US) obligations”.
“The UN officially expressed … its concern regarding recent reports that the communications of the Secretary General and other senior UN officials have been the subject of surveillance and interference by the US government,” spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
Such actions, Dujarric said, “are inconsistent with the (US) obligations … enumerated in the UN charter and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations”.
The United States has intercepted at least four of Guterres’ conversations with other UN officials, including on Ukraine, according to The Washington Post, citing confidential Pentagon documents.
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