U.S. Representative To Turkey Summoned Over Spy Claims

The Turkish Foreign Ministry summoned the U.S. acting ambassador in Ankara on Monday morning to explain allegations in the German media over alleged National Security Agency spying.



"If the allegations are true, then the United States is expected to stop all of its spying activities targeting Turkey and its institutions both in the country and abroad," the country's Foreign Ministry said in a written statement on Monday.



Chargé d'Affaires Jess Baily was summoned to the Foreign Ministry over the alleged US spying on Turkey, Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc told a media briefing.



According to reports in German weekly Der Spiegel, the U.S. has been engaged in long-term spying on Turkey through two secret intelligence stations in Istanbul and Ankara.



Turkey's Foreign Ministry said the activities were "unacceptable" and "does not comply with the friendly relations with each other".



The German weekly wrote that in the NSA intelligence activities targeting Turkey, the body's 'National Intelligence Priorities Framework' had been in close cooperation with the British secret service and also shared obtained intelligence with its U.K. counterpart.



Reporting by the German weekly on August 16 it said that Germany's foreign intelligence agency had been spying on Turkey since 2009, prompting strong condemnation by Ankara.



Arinc stressed that Turkey is continuing negotiations with German intelligence agency.



In other news, Arinc talked about latest development regarding Turkish hostages held by Islamic State militants, saying they were alive, their locations known and that contact with them has been maintained.



"Connection between Turkish hostages and their families are continuing," he said.



IS seized 49 Turkish consulate staff on July, including the consul-general and family members, in the Iraqi city of Mosul.



www.aa.com.tr/en - Ankara