The claims published in today’s edition of “The Guardian” that phone conversations of our Minister of Finance Mehmet Şimşek and his delegation were tapped during their visit to the United Kingdom in 2009, on the occasion of the G-20 meeting, are alarming.

If there is even the slightest truth to any of these claims contained in this news report, this will evidently constitute a scandal primarily for the country concerned. In an environment where mutual trust, respect and transparency should be essential for international cooperation, such act by an allied country would clearly be deemed unacceptable, should the news report turn out to be true.

The British authorities are expected to present an official and satisfactory explanation on this issue. As a matter of fact, necessary diplomatic initiatives have been taken in this regard.