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     Kerry: 'Legitimate' Surveillance Concerns No Barrier to EU Trade Talks

   by VOA News

   U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said
   "legitimate
   questions" about U.S. surveillance efforts
   should not affect upcoming trade talks between the United States and
   the European Union.<br />
   <br /> During his visit
   to Poland, Kerry said on Tuesday that the United States is reviewing
   its surveillance activity and will work closely with its allies to make
   sure the path forward is "understood and
   is mutually agreed
   upon."<br
   /> <br
   /> "We want to hear
   from our allies. We want to have this conversation. President Obama
   welcomes this opportunity to work with our allies, and ultimately if we
   get it right, which we will, we can not only alleviate concerns, but we
   can actually strengthen our intelligence relationships going forward,
   and we can all be more secure and safer as a result as well as
   protecting the privacy of citizens," said
   Kerry.<br />
   <br /> Kerry said the
   potential trade deal is about jobs and global competition, and could
   lead to increased standards in the way the world does
   business.<br />
   <br /> However, the
   negotiations come amid anger from European governments that want the
   U.S. to explain allegations that the National Security Agency monitored
   German Chancellor Angela Merkel's phone
   calls and those of other allies.<br
   /> <br
   /> Kerry met with Polish Foreign Minister
   Radoslaw Sikorski for wide-ranging talks that included economic
   cooperation, defense ties, environmental issues and plans for deploying
   a missile defense system.<br
   /> <br
   /> He began his visit by going to the gravesite
   of Poland's first post-Communist prime
   minister, Tadeusz Mazowiecki, who died last week. Kerry laid a wreath,
   which he said Tuesday was in recognition of
   Mazowiecki's contribution to democracy and
   human rights.<br />
   <br /> The secretary will
   next travel to Israel and the West Bank, where he will meet with
   Israeli and Palestinian officials as they continue peace negotiations.
   He is also due to visit Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, and
   Morocco.
     __________________________________________________________________

   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/kerry-legitimate-surveillance-concern
   s-no-barrier-to-eu-trade-talks/1783706.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/kerry-legitimate-surveillance-concerns-no-barrier-to-eu-trade-talks/1783706.html