United Nations lodges concern over reported U.S. eavesdropping on UN chief

The United Nations has officially expressed to the United States the world body's concern over reported surveillance on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, a UN spokesman said on Tuesday.

"UN officially expressed to the host country its concern regarding recent reports that the communications of the secretary-general and other senior UN officials have been the subject of surveillance and interference by the U.S. government," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for Guterres.

"The UN has made it clear that such actions are inconsistent with the obligations of the United States of America enumerated in the UN Charter and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations," he added.

The Washington Post on Monday reported that according to four classified reports obtained by the newspaper, the United States eavesdropped and gathered intelligence on Guterres.

The documents, two of which haven't been previously reported, summarize intercepted conversations that shed new light on the UN chief's interactions with top UN officials and world leaders, the newspaper reported.