PARIS, Oct. 23 (UPI) -- France and the United States have agreed to discuss intelligence activities following revelations of U.S. spying on France, a presidential spokesman says.
Leaks by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden have been embarrassing for the U.S. government. France joins Brazil, Mexico and Italy on the list of countries whose leaders or diplomats were allegedly targeted by NSA hacking.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with his French counterpart, Laurent Fabius, during a visit to Paris that ended Tuesday, Radio France Internationale reported.
Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, a spokesman for President Francois Hollande, said Wednesday that the two governments have agreed to discuss new "bilateral cooperation between the French and American intelligence agencies."
James Clapper, the U.S. director of national intelligence, said Tuesday that reports in the French newspaper Le Monde included "inaccurate and misleading information" about NSA intelligence gathering, RFI reported. Le Monde responded Wednesday with a chart of alleged NSA monitoring of communications by French leaders it said came from Snowden's material.
Le Monde also said Clapper did not deny that the NSA had conducted electronic eavesdropping on French embassies, including its mission to the United Nations.
