Germany, Brazil Urge End To Electronic Spying

Peter Wittig, Germany's UN ambassador, is calling for a global debate on electronic surveillance.

Brazil and Germany have called for an end to excessive electronic spying.

The two countries on November 7 introduced a draft resolution to the UN General Assembly, expressing deep concern "at human rights violations and abuses that may result from the conduct of any surveillance of communications."

It comes after the former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden leaked documents detailing global spying operations by the U.S. National Security Agency, including the monitoring of foreign leaders such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff.

The document urges all countries to extend internationally guaranteed rights to privacy.

German Ambassador Peter Wittig said he hoped the document would spur meaningful discussion and lead to action to protect privacy online.

Unlike UN Security Council resolutions, General Assembly resolutions are nonbinding.

Based on dpa and Reuters reporting