Merkel defends intelligence cooperation in first comments about spying scandal

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Monday that her office was willing to cooperate with parliamentary investigators over the international spying scandal, or the so-called BND-NSA affair, at the same time defending Germany's intelligence cooperation with other countries in the fight against terrorism.

Merkel made the remarks at a press conference after meeting with Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka here. It was the first time she had publicly commented on accusations that Germany's Foreign Intelligence Service (BND) had targeted European interests for surveillance on behalf of the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) for years.

"I want to say that we, the people responsible at the Chancellery, are willing to answer relevant parliamentary committees' questions about all the details, and we have already started to do so," she said.

The chancellor stated she still believed that friendly nations should not spy on each other.

Merkel also stressed Germany's intelligence agencies had the task of ensuring the safety of German citizens, emphasizing that this effort required international cooperation. "This ability to carry out its duties in the face of international terrorism threats is done in cooperation with other intelligence agencies, including the NSA."

According to a report by Spiegel Online, the U.S. spy agency sent the BND large numbers of so-called "selectors" - Internet IP addresses, mobile phone numbers and other identifying information - which were plugged into the BND's own monitoring systems.

As a result, the BND was accused of spying on European companies and European nations, which were on friendly terms with the United States, on behalf of the NSA.

Merkel's office is facing growing pressure over the scandal.

German parliamentary investigators have asked the government to provide a draft of the U.S. spy lists within the week. Meanwhile, the opposition has threatened to sue.

In addition, Merkel's own government demanded her office disclose the selectors. German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said Monday the government should make the spy lists available "in an appropriate procedure" to members of the parliamentary committee controlling the work of intelligence services as well as its NSA investigation committee.

Former chief of staff of the German Chancellery and current Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere announced Monday that he would speak in front of a closed session of the parliamentary committee, which oversees secret services, on Wednesday to clarify the scandal.

The parliamentary NSA investigation committee is due to meet on Thursday. BND chief Gerhard Schindler was asked to give witness testimony. Endit