据报奥巴马考虑停止监听盟国领导人 Reports:Obama Considers Ending Spying on Allied Leaders

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美国官员说,奥巴马政府正在考虑是否命令国家安全局停止对盟国领导人进行监听。

美国国会参议院情报委员会主席、来自加利福尼亚州的民主党人范斯坦星期一发表声明说,白宫通知她,对美国盟友的监听行动将不再继续。但美国政府官员随后强调,尚未就这一问题做出最后决定。

奥巴马总统的国家安全委员会发言人海登星期一晚间说,美国政府已就有关程序做出几项决定,但他拒绝评论范斯坦的声明。

几个星期来,奥巴马政府由于被指称监听35位外国领导人的私人通讯而受到来自国内外的强烈指责。据称德国总理默克尔的手机通话也被监听。

范斯坦星期一敦促对有关监听的指称做出反应,全面审查美国的情报项目。她表示,国安局为参议院情报委员会提供的信息不令人满意。

预计美国国家情报局局长克拉帕星期二将在众议院情报委员会就监听丑闻接受质询。

U.S. officials say the Obama administration weighing whether to order the National Security Agency to stop spying on leaders of American allies. 

California Democrat Dianne Feinstein, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, issued a statement Monday saying she was informed by the White House that "collection on our allies will not continue."  But adminstration officials later stressed that a final decision on the matter has not been made.

Caitlin Hayden, a spokesperson for President Barack Obama's National Security Council, said late Monday the administration has "already made some decisions through this process," but refused to discuss Feinstein's statement.

The Obama administration has come under fire in recent weeks, both at home and abroad, over allegations that it has monitored the personal communications of 35 world leaders, including the cellphone of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.  

Feinstein has called for a `"total review'' of all U.S. intelligence programs in response to the allegations, adding that her committee was not "satisfactorily informed" by the NSA. 

National Intelligence director James Clapper is expected to face questions about the matter when he testifies before the House Intelligence Committee Tuesday.