NATO chief: Reports of phone spying 'not helpful'

The American general who commands NATO forces in Europe says reports of alleged US monitoring of allies' conversations are "not helpful" but have not hurt his ability to work with his military counterparts.
Air Force Gen. Phil Breedlove told reporters at the Pentagon today that whatever damage may have been done to US-European relations as a result of the allegations will be repaired.
Breedlove was in Washington to make a public case for continuing close military ties to the NATO allies in Europe. He said that aside from the reports about US surveillance operations in Europe, there is concern among the allies about talk of a "pivot to Asia" that some see as a sign of loosening US ties to Europe.