Berlin and Washington are still “far apart” on the issue of the US National Security Agency's (NSA) mass surveillance of Germany that included spying on Chancellor Angela Merkel’s own mobile phone.  She says US and British spying “sows distrust” among nations that call themselves allies.

Merkel made these comments in her first major address of her third term, in which she said the US and UK spying wasn’t as much about anti-terrorism as it was about getting economic advantages for corporations in the Anglophone world.

“Can it be right that it's not just about defending against terrorist threats but also to gain advantage over their allies, for example, in negotiations at G20 summits or U.N. sessions?” she asked.

“Our answer can only be: ‘No, that cannot be right.’”

While hammering home that the allies remain “far apart” on the “ethical question” of freedom versus security in state surveillance, Merkel acknowledged that the alliance is important.

“Millions of people who live in undemocratic countries are today looking closely at how the democratic world reacts to security threats,” Merkel said, adding that, for all their differences, “Germany can wish for no better partner than the United States.”

Merkel delivered her address seated, but walked into the Bundestag on her own power, using crutches.  She is still recovering from a nasty skiing accident earlier this month in which she suffered a fractured pelvis.