Germany supports start to EU-US free trade talks

BERLIN - Agence France-Presse

Germany wants EU-US free trade talks to start next week, Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman said Wednesday, despite a rift over US spying and online surveillance claims.

"The (EU) Commission wants to start negotiations on July 8, and in this it has the support of the German government," said spokesman Steffen Seibert. "We want this free trade agreement and we want to start the talks now," he said, shortly after France said it wants a "temporary suspension" of the talks over the spying claims.