Angela Merkel demands progress on no-spy deal between Europe and the US

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/angela-merkel-demands-progress-on-no-spy-deal-between-europe-and-the-us-1.1573941

Angela Merkel demands progress on no-spy deal between Europe and the US
Derek Scally
Sat, Oct 26, 2013, 01:01
First published: Sat, Oct 26, 2013, 01:01

Chancellor Angela Merkel is still using the mobile reportedly tapped by US intelligence: a standard, unencrypted device paid for by her party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU).

The German leader declined to back calls at today’s Brussels summit to suspend EU-US trade talks and instead demanded swift progress on a no-spy agreement between Europe and the US. In a clear message to Washington, however, she warned that “mistrust complicates joint work”.

Dr Merkel said she has always used two phones as chancellor – a regular phone and an official, encrypted device. She kept the regular CDU-financed phone out of concern that she would be accused of conducting party political business at taxpayer expense.

“All state relevant communication is conducted over the other [encrypted] mobile,” she told journalists in Brussels. “But dividing between party and government business is often very, very difficult. That’s why in 2005, because of the overlap, I decided for a party-financed [phone].”