US phone tapping 'cynical', says Russian PM

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Friday the phone tapping conducted by the US National Security Agency (NSA) was "utterly cynical".

"When they say it's a usual practice, everyone understands that the interest in foreign leaders and states exists," Medvedev said in an interview published on the government's website, Xinhua reported.

"Special services exist for that. But it is assumed they don't do it in such a cynical way," he said.

Medvedev added that he understood foreign leaders' grievances because "when someone spies on you, it is not very pleasant".

He said he was also aware of attempts to tap his phones during his attendance at international events.

The prime minister said he assumed no one would trust US leaders any more even if they promised to stop tapping.

"What can they say - sorry, we aren't going to do that? No one will believe it," he said.

Western media earlier published information allegedly released by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden about the US agency tapping phone calls of German, Italian, French and other leaders.

Snowden's lawyer Anatoly Kucherena told the Interfax news agency Friday that his client "is ready to cooperate with everyone".

"He makes decisions himself with whom and when to communicate," Kucherena said.