'US needs to respect sovereignty of nations'
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It also needs to respect privacy of citizens from other countries, says president's spokesman
The president’s spokesman Ye Htut warned the United States to respect the sovereignty of other countries after the US Embassy in Yangon was reportedly used for collecting surveillance information for the National Security Agency.
“A country has the right to work for its national security, but it also needs to respect the sovereignty of other countries,” said Ye Htut, the deputy information minister.
“It also needs to respect the privacy of its citizens as well as citizens from other countries.”
Ye Htut said the government will do necessary security surveys not only for national security but also for the privacy of individuals. It is also monitoring how the EU and other countries are handling the issue.
According to information disclosed by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, a top secret map lists 90 surveillance facilities worldwide, including communications intelligence facilities at US embassies in Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Phnom Penh and Yangon, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
“The government cannot reveal whether they have prior report on the alleged spying cases,” Ye Htut said.
Australian intelligence sources recently confirmed that Australia’s electronic espionage agency, the Defence Signals Directorate, said the program involves collecting intelligence on diplomatic, political and economic developments besides information relating to terrorism and security, according to the Herald.
“We understand the US government’s concerns over terrorism. However, if they want to spy into someone’s house, they must give reliable reasons. If they don’t, they will be accused of doing misdeeds,” he said.
The Herald reported that the current operations are believed to be conducted in separate rooms in the embassies and they are able to listen to local telephone calls. These operations were reportedly prompted by and supported with equipment and technical advice from the Defence Signals Directorate’s partners, the NSA and Britain’s Government Communications Headquarters.
In July, Ye Htut denied that Special Branch police are tracking the media after reports came out the police were still monitoring political activists and the media.
