AlHijjah 17, 1434, Oct 22, 2013, SPA -- U.S. President Barack Obama spoke by telephone Monday with French President Francois Hollande, the White House said. "The United States and France are allies and friends, and share a close working relationship on a wide range of issues, including security and intelligence," the White House said in a statement. "The President and President Hollande discussed recent disclosures in the press – some of which have distorted our activities and some of which raise legitimate questions for our friends and allies about how these capabilities are employed." "The President made clear that the United States has begun to review the way that we gather intelligence, so that we properly balance the legitimate security concerns of our citizens and allies with the privacy concerns that all people share. The two Presidents agreed that we should continue to discuss these issues in diplomatic channels moving forward," the statement said. "The two leaders also discussed the ongoing violence in Syria and the importance of a political solution to the crisis," the White House said.
