Putin calls US surveillance practice 'utter hypocrisy'

MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that phone tapping threatens state sovereignty and manifests utter hypocrisy, citing recent revelations of US spying on Germany.

"It is not simply an utter hypocrisy in regards to the allies and partners," Putin told reporters. "This is a direct attempt on the state sovereignty and human rights violation, interference into private life."

In the two new cases surfaced over the week, an employee of the German Federal Intelligence Service and an official at the German Defense Ministry were under investigation on suspicion of spying for the United States.

Germany announced Friday it had lowered the level of cooperation with the US secret services on the wake of these revelations. Berlin also requested the CIA resident in Germany to leave the country.

Putin also said Russia mulls creation of international cyber security system in cooperation with other countries.

"It is especially important to consolidate the international community's efforts to ensure equal and indivisible security, as well as to resolve disputes trough the application of international law and with the central coordinating role of the UN," Itar-Tass news agency quoted him as saying.

He added that any other approach only leads to "chaos and instability."