Relations between Germany and the US appeared to rest on the outcome of an ongoing investigation about the allegations made by a German spy who works as a double agent, sometimes for Washington. According to Voice of American, the White House has stated that it will be working with Germany to resolve concerns on whether one of its intelligence employees indeed had spied for Washington.
Falling short of confirming whether the allegations were true, White House spokesman Josh Earnest insisted that the government values its relationship with Berlin.
On a visit to Beijing, German Chancellor Angela Merkel dubbed the allegations serious, and will be a violation of trust between the two nations should the allegations be true.
"About the reports that a German intelligence employee spied for the United States, if the reports are proven true it would be a serious case. The German federal prosecutor is investigating on this case. If the allegations are true, it would be for me a clear contradiction as to what I consider to be trusting cooperation between agencies and partners," she said.
Last week, a 31 year-old man was arrested on the charges that he was working as a double spy. During the interrogation, he revealed to have been working for the US for two years. VOA said he is believed to have copied over 200 German intelligence files and have subsequently sold them to Washington for $34,000.
This would be a serious blow to US-Germany relations, where it was first hit by National Security Agency leaks released by former government contractor Edward Snowden. The leaks then revealed that the NSA had been tapping Merkel's phone.
When asked about industrial espionage, she said in Beijing, "Germany is against that - regardless of where it comes from. We have a duty as the state to protect our economy. ... We are for the protection of intellectual property."
