France expressed outrage to US for 'spying' Presidents

Paris

France expressed outrage and claimed the act of U.S spying on President Francois Hollande and his predecessors as “unacceptable.” The statement came immediately after the documents leaked by Wikileaks was revealed.

Hollande spoke by phone with US President Barack Obama, who gave fresh assurances that spying on European leaders had ended, while France's foreign minister summoned the US ambassador for a formal explanation.

"President Obama reiterated without ambiguity his firm commitment... to stop these practices that took place in the past and which were unacceptable between allies," Hollande's office said in a statement after the call.

The documents -- labelled "Top Secret" and appearing to reveal spying on Jacques Chirac, Nicolas Sarkozy and Hollande between 2006 and 2012 -- were published by WikiLeaks along with French newspaper Liberation and the Mediapart website.

Hollande earlier convened his top ministers and intelligence officials to discuss the revelations, with his office stating that France "will not tolerate any acts that threaten its security".

The leak was embarrassingly timed for French lawmakers, who were expected to approve sweeping new powers to spy on citizens later on Wednesday.

The new law will allow authorities to spy on the digital and mobile communications of anyone linked to a "terrorist" enquiry without prior authorisation from a judge, and forces internet service providers and phone companies to give up data upon request.

Addressing parliament, Prime Minister Manuel Valls said Washington's actions "constitute a very serious violation of the spirit of trust" and France would demand a new "code of conduct" on intelligence matters.

The White House earlier responded that it was not targeting Hollande's communications and will not do so in the future, but it did not comment on past activities.

Claims that the US National Security Agency (NSA) was spying on European leaders, revealed by whistleblower Edward Snowden in 2013, had already led to promises from Obama that the practice had stopped.

"Commitments were made by the US authorities," the Elysee Palace said in a statement. "They must be remembered and strictly respected."