German Chancellor Angela Merkel says the breakdown in trust between her country and the United States over spying shows the two have "fundamentally different conceptions" about the work of intelligence agencies.
Chancellor Merkel told public broadcaster ZDF television Saturday she hoped the U.S. would change its spying behavior, adding that "we are not living in the Cold War era anymore."
According to reports by Agence France Presse, Merkel said "the thing we always have to keep in mind when we are working together is if the person across the table is possibly working at the same time for someone else, that for me isn't a trusting relationship."
Germany on Thursday demanded Washington's top spy in Berlin leave the country after the reported discovery that two German government officials were working for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Friday Washington valued its relationship with Germany. He said "allies with sophisticated intelligence agencies are aware of the activities and relationships that are included."
"The president has found Chancellor Merkel to be a very effective partner precisely because she is somebody who is able to identify the interests of her country and place them first, but can act in a collective cooperative spirit to advance the kind of agenda that's in the best interest of her country as well."
Some information for this report comes from AP, AFP and Reuters.