Snowden leaks: France summons US envoy over spying claims
France's foreign ministry has summoned the US ambassador over newspaper claims that the US spied on millions of phone calls in France.
Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said he was "deeply shocked" by the report.
Le Monde says the data, based on leaks from ex-intelligence analyst Edward Snowden, suggest a US security agency monitored businesses and officials as well as terrorism suspects.
The intercepts were apparently triggered by certain key words.
"It's incredible that an allied country like the United States at this point goes as far as spying on private communications that have no strategic justification, no justification on the basis of national defence," Mr Ayrault told journalists.
Le Monde says the National Security Agency (NSA) spied on 70.3 million phone calls in France in just 30 days between 10 December last year and 8 January 2013.