Trei wrote: > [IRNA is the Islamic Republic News Agency > (ie, Iranian). Adjust your predjudices > appropriately.] > > The solution to European worries over Echelon is > (wait for it!) more spies! Their standard answer. > Note that one of this article's base assumptions > is that Echelon is primarily used for economic > espionage. It would be interesting to > find European takes on this issue. Indeed. European takes on the privatization of intelligence agencies are quite illuminating. ~Aimee > > Peter Trei > > ----------------------------------------- > http://www.irna.com/newshtm/eng/14193114.htm > > thr 073 > EU-Spy /WRD/ > MP announces plans for a European intelligence service > Berlin, July 5, IRNA -- The European Union plans to create a European > intelligence service, in an effort to counter the American economic > espionage program 'Echelon', a deputy of the European Parliament was > quoted saying Thursday in the German daily junge Welt. > The German member of the European Parliament, Ilka Schroeder of > the Green Party, referred to the latest report by the espionage > committee, calling for the formation of a European intelligence > service to protect European industries against US espionage. > "It's hypocritical for the parliament to criticize the US Echelon > surveillance techniques, while there are plans in work to promote > a European secret service," Schroeder blasted the latest initiative. > A recent report by a European parliamentary committee confirmed the > existence of a controversial worldwide espionage network 'Echelon' > which has caused between Dlrs 13 and 145 billion in financial > damages to European companies. > The study, presenting evidence that intelligence services from > the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain are part > of 'Echelon', called on European firms to guard themselves from this > ultra-modern form of economic espionage. > The United States had in the past repeatedly denied the existence > of 'Echelon' which is reportedly capable of eavesdropping on every > single telephone call, radio transmission, fax or e-mail message > around the world. > US officials had refused to meet with a visiting European > parliamentary delegation a few weeks ago, wanting information on > 'Echelon'. > A member of the EU parliamentary committee, Gerhard Schmid said the > evidence, consisting of photos, statements by intelligence officials > working on the project and the results of internet research-proved > conclusively and without a doubt that this was in fact the case. > "Companies outside Europe getting hold of this information might > gain huge advantages," Schmid added. > The study suggested advanced coding techniques for companies when > transmitting confidential messages. > Schmid also referred to the close cooperation between the > intelligence services of the US and EU member Great Britain, saying it > might have serious repercussions for the EU's common foreign and > security policies if the issue was not discussed. > The worldwide espionage installations of 'Echelon', were created > in 1947 and initially used for military purposes. > OT/MHJ/JH > END > ::irna 19:31
