Russian MP says Europe’s outrage over U.S. phone tapping will not last long

MOSCOW. Nov 7 (Interfax) – State Duma Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Alexei Pushkov believes that the scandal sparked by revelations that U.S. special services monitored European leaders’ phone conversations will soon fizzle out because the European leadership is dependent on Washington.

“The administration of [U.S. President Barack] Obama does not seem to be particularly troubled by Europe’s anger over this electronic surveillance. Europe’s outrage will calm down soon. Its leaders depend too much on the U.S.,” Pushkov said on his Twitter page on Wednesday.

Ex-U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden disclosed that NSA was monitoring communications of the governments of Germany, Italy, Greece, France and other European countries. The leaders of most European countries were angered by these reports and demanded an explanation from Washington.