In a telephone call on Tuesday the Chancellor and the American President exchanged views on this matter. On Sunday, in an interview for the German broadcaster ZDF, the Chancellor stressed that in the 21st century, intelligence services ought to focus on important matters. "And we cooperate very closely with the Americans. I would like to be able to continue this, since Germany naturally benefits from this cooperation, also in the field of anti-terrorism and other things."

Concentrate on the essentials

"But we are no longer in the middle of the Cold War, where everybody probably mistrusted everybody else. The threats we face today are quite different, asymmetric threats," said Angela Merkel. "And when I think of anti-terrorism, of what we are now seeing in Iraq with ISIS, of Afghanistan, and of so many other things, we ought to concentrate on the essentials."

There is no basis for trust if you always have to wonder whether the person sitting opposite you perhaps also works for the other side. "And this is where our views apparently diverge. We must discuss this in depth," said the Chancellor. "If we keep on putting our case, I at least believe that we can make our position extremely clear, and perhaps also gain support around the world for this position."

A shame to waste time and effort

On 10 July, at her press conference with Iurie Leanca, Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, the Chancellor stressed that, "If these allegations are verified, then it is a case of spying on allies, which common sense and my own view would point to being a waste of time and effort, in the final analysis."

In the interests of the security of German citizens and German forces abroad it remains indispensable that the country cooperate closely on a basis of trust with its western partners, particularly with the USA, said the Chancellor. This, however, presupposes mutual trust and openness. The German government is still willing to comply with this, and expects its closest partners to do likewise.

US representative asked to leave the country

Last week the representative of the US intelligence services attached to the Embassy of the United States of America in Berlin was asked to leave Germany, against the background of allegations of spying and ongoing investigations of the Federal Public Prosecutor.

On 11 July, the Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier explained, "Our decision to ask the Berlin representative of the US intelligence services to leave Germany is the correct decision. It is a necessary step and an appropriate response to the breach of trust that has taken place. It was unavoidable that consequences follow. We need and expect a partnership based on trust. We aim to have an open exchange of opinion with the USA, which does not stop when difficult questions arise."

In March 2014 the German Bundestag appointed a parliamentary committee to investigate the allegations regarding the activities of US intelligence services in Germany, which have been pending for a period of several months.