Merkel Urged to Press Obama on NSA Scandal Ahead of Washington Talks

Angela Merkel should ask Barack Obama to destroy her NSA file when she meets the American president in Washington this week, a leading German opposition politician has told the Guardian.

The Greens warn that failure to address the intelligence monitor scandal would risk undermining the credibility of the western alliance during the Ukraine crisis.

“Close co-operation between western allies requires joint values – also in relation to the activities of our intelligence services,” said Omid Nouripour, the Green party’s foreign policy spokesperson.

“Trying to sit out the NSA scandal won’t work: we can’t afford to let the remaining open questions strain relations during on the current crisis,” he said, suggesting that a symbolic act, such as the destruction of Merkel’s NSA file, could help to mend US-German relations.

The German chancellor travels to the US on Thursday and will meet Obama on Friday.

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