Obama calls French president as France demands answers about report of US spying

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama has called French President Francois Hollande and discussed France’s anger over reported aggressive surveillance tactics by the National Security Agency.

The call comes after a French newspaper said the NSA swept up 70.3 million French phone records in a 30-day period. France has summoned the U.S. ambassador to explain and called the practice “totally unacceptable.”

The White House says some recent disclosures about the NSA have been distorted but that some raise legitimate questions for U.S. allies about how America’s intelligence capabilities are used.

Obama told the French president that the U.S. is reviewing its intelligence-gathering to ensure a balance between security and privacy. The White House says both presidents agreed they should continue diplomatic discussions about the issue.