The US will hold technical talks with the United Arab Emirates and other countries on the pending ban on Blackberry Messenger, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Thursday.
“We are taking time to consult and analyse the full array of interests and issues at stake because we know that there is a legitimate security concern, but there is also a legitimate right of free use and access,” she told reporters in Washington.
Last week, the US said it was disappointed that the UAE planned to cut off key BlackBerry services, noting that the Gulf nation was setting a dangerous precedent in limiting freedom of information.
PJ Crowley, spokesman, State Department, said: “We are committed to promoting the free flow of information. We think it’s integral to an innovative economy.”
The UAE said over the weekend that it would suspend Research In Motion’s BlackBerry Messenger, email and Web browser services from Oct 11 until the government could get access to encrypted messages. (Reuters)
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