CBS News: NSA Accused of Spying on Three French Presidents

ROSE: “France is demanding answers from the United States ambassador in Paris after the leak of potentially damaging revelations about espionage. WikiLeaks claims the NSA monitored communications of the last three French presidents.”

O’DONNELL: “The United States says it is not spying on the French government. Major Garrett is at the White House. Major, good morning.”

GARRETT: “Good morning. The WikiLeaks released contends, the United States through the National Security Agency conducted surveillance on three different French presidents from 2006 to 2012. That would spend the Bush and Obama administration. It is drawn a sharp response from French officials. The French government led by President François Hollande has called the revelation of spying unacceptable and announced he will send a senior intelligence official to the United States for an explanation. In Paris, the U.S. Ambassador Jane Hartley has been summoned to offer an explanation and Hollande will meet an emergency session today with top defenseman in service, to discuss his government's next steps. Charlie?”

ROSE: “Major, talk about real effect this will have on the U.S.-French relationship.”

GARRETT: “Hard to know, but right now the two governments are working on a range of very difficult foreign policy issues. Let’s talk about just three. First of all, the ongoing battle against ISIS in Iraq in Syria; the efforts to negotiate an end of Iran's fear pursuit of nuclear weapons and efforts to maintain economic sanctions against Russia for its military encouragement in Ukraine. Now, there is no immediate signal, any of this cooperation will end, but the French government like the Germans before it, wanted learn to these revelations has to do something about it. If for no other reason, domestic political outrage will demand it. And here at the White House, Charlie, the National Security Council released a statement. It reads in part: ‘We do not conduct any foreign intelligence surveillance activities unless there is a specific and validated national security purpose. This applies to ordinary citizens and world leaders alike. We work closely with France on all matters of international concern, and the French are indispensable partners.’ Clearly the U.S. and France are partners but partners like to know what each other is up and now the French know, what the United States is up to though the White House would prefer it didn’t, some very tough diplomatic Conversations are likely to ensue.”