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Barack Obama pledges greater surveillance transparency Barack Obama pledges greater surveillance transparency
(35 minutes later)
President Barack Obama has urged a series of reforms to US surveillance programmes in order to guarantee greater openness and oversight. President Barack Obama has promised "appropriate reforms" to guarantee greater oversight of controversial US surveillance programmes.
At a White House news conference, Mr Obama proposed amending provisions in the Patriot Act that govern the collection of telephone data. At a White House news conference, he proposed "safeguards against abuse", including amending legislation on the collection of telephone data.
He also proposed introducing an "adversary" to hold accountable the secretive court behind the programmes. Mr Obama also urged allowing a lawyer to challenge decisions by the nation's secretive surveillance court.
He has been defending the programmes since they were leaked in June.He has been defending the programmes since they were leaked in June.
At Friday's news conference, Mr Obama said: "It's not enough for me as president to have confidence in these programmes; the American people need to have confidence as well." Mr Obama said on Friday that the US "can and must be more transparent".
The president also accused Russia of "backward" thinking, following its decision to grant asylum to Edward Snowden, who disclosed details of the secretive surveillance programmes to media. "Given the history of abuse by governments, it's right to ask questions about surveillance, particularly as technology is reshaping every aspect of our lives," he told reporters.
"It's not enough for me as president to have confidence in these programmes," Mr Obama added. "The American people need to have confidence as well."
Snowden 'no patriot'
He said his administration would also make public documents on surveillance and appoint a body of outside experts to help ensure a balance between security and privacy.
The president went on to accuse Russia of "backward" thinking, following its decision to grant asylum to Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who disclosed details of the secretive surveillance programmes to media.
Although he played down talk of a serious diplomatic rift with Moscow, Mr Obama said there had been more anti-American rhetoric since President Vladimir Putin returned to Russian presidency.Although he played down talk of a serious diplomatic rift with Moscow, Mr Obama said there had been more anti-American rhetoric since President Vladimir Putin returned to Russian presidency.
He said that during photocalls with President Putin, the Russian leader "has got that kind of slouch, looking like he's the bored kid in the back of the classroom". But he said their discussions in private had been constructive.He said that during photocalls with President Putin, the Russian leader "has got that kind of slouch, looking like he's the bored kid in the back of the classroom". But he said their discussions in private had been constructive.
In response to a journalist's question about the National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, Mr Obama said: "No, I don't think Mr Snowden was a patriot." In response to a journalist's question about Mr Snowden, Mr Obama said: "No, I don't think Mr Snowden was a patriot."
The White House this week cancelled a planned summit between Mr Obama and Mr Putin next month in Moscow.