17 June 2013
Last updated at 12:02 ET
Claims that Britain spied on foreign governments attending G20 meetings in London in 2009 would “constitute a scandal” if true, Turkey has said.
Its foreign ministry demanded answers over reports Turkish delegates were among those who had their computers monitored and phones intercepted.
It described the reports as “alarming”.
When asked, UK PM David Cameron refused to comment on the allegations, said to be based on documents obtained by American whistleblower Edward Snowden.
It comes as the G8 summit of eight of the world’s leaders gets under way in Northern Ireland.
All of the nations attending the G8 summit also attended the 2009 meetings which were said to have been the target of UK intelligence agencies.
‘Trust and transparency’
The claims, reported by the Guardian newspaper, are that GCHQ – Britain’s electronic eavesdropping agency – spied on foreign politicians and officials attending two G20 summit meetings in April and September 2009.
UK intelligence agencies were said to have set up internet cafes specifically to enable them to read the emails of those taking part in the summit, the paper quoted the leaked documents as saying.
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The British authorities are expected to present an official and satisfactory explanation on this issue”
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Turkey Ministry of Foreign Affairs
It alleged that the operation was sanctioned at a senior level in the government of then prime minister Gordon Brown and the intelligence obtained was passed to ministers.
The Turkish, South African and Russian delegates are said to have been among those targeted.
In a statement, Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “The claims published in today’s edition of the Guardian that phone conversations of our Minister of Finance Mehmet Simsek and his delegation were tapped during their visit to the United Kingdom in 2009, on the occasion of the G20 meeting, are alarming.
“If there is even the slightest truth to any of these claims contained in this news report, this will evidently constitute a scandal, primarily for the country concerned.
“In an environment where mutual trust, respect and transparency should be essential for international co-operation, such act by an allied country would clearly be deemed unacceptable, should the news report turn out to be true.
“The British authorities are expected to present an official and satisfactory explanation on this issue. As a matter of fact, necessary diplomatic initiatives have been taken in this regard.”
The UK Foreign Office (FCO) said Turkey had raised the claims with Britain’s ambassador to the country, Sir David Reddaway.
‘Phone call’
A spokeswoman said: “In line with longstanding practice we do not comment on intelligence matters.
“We can confirm that the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has raised this issue with the ambassador.”
When asked if the ambassador had been summoned to the foreign ministry, as some reports suggest, the spokeswoman said: “No, this was discussed in a phone call.”
Details of the eavesdropping were allegedly contained in documents obtained by Mr Snowden, who was behind a series of disclosures about the National Security Agency in Washington.
Asked whether he could guarantee that no similar operation was taking place at the G8 summit, Mr Cameron said he never commented on security and intelligence issues.
BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera says there is no doubt states spy on each other – Britain will be spying on North Korea and Iran to gather information about their nuclear programmes, for example.
“But when you get into countries that are a bit more friendly, [for example] Nato allies like Turkey, that is where the sensitivities really hit home and that is what I think is particularly significant about this leak of information,” adds our correspondent.
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Turkey "alarm" over UK spying claims
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