U.S. has struck right balance on Internet surveillance - Obama

BERLIN (Reuters) - The United States has struck the right balance between the need to gather intelligence and safeguarding civil liberties, U.S. President Barack Obama said on Wednesday, following criticism over U.S. Internet surveillance programmes.

"I came into office committed to protecting the American people but also committed to our values and our ideals and one of our highest ideals is civil liberties and privacy," Obama said.