BERLIN Juergen Hardts position in the German government, coordinator of trans-Atlantic cooperation, once was considered a major honor the official liaison to the United States, arguably Germanys closest ally.

But since the revelation that the National Security Agency eavesdropped for years on Chancellor Angela Merkels cellphone, U.S.-German relations have been a twisting, stomach-churning roller-coaster ride so wild that many Germans wonder whether its possible to get off. The pro-America crowd, meanwhile, can only warn that despite the nausea, its not safe to leave a ride in motion.

We have gone through challenging times in the bilateral relationship in the past, Hardt said in an interview. As in every relationship, there have been ups and downs. Right now, we are going through challenging times when it comes to public perception.

The relationship between Germany and the United States, two of the worlds four largest economies, is no small matter. The United States relies on Europe as a strategic and trading partner, and Germany is the tail that wags the European Union. As the world tilts toward Asia, economists and politicians think that perhaps the best way to extend the American Century and Europes global influence is through good relations, from shared security through open trade.

But the mere fact that Hardt is in this role today says something about the state of affairs. In the past, the job has been trusted primarily to political senior figures. But Hardt joined the Parliament only in 2009, and before his appointment as liaison to North America he wasnt widely considered to be among Germanys political elite. His previous career as spokesman for a family-owned door-to-door vacuum cleaner sales company didnt make national headlines, and hed never been noted for taking the lead on trans-Atlantic issues.

The previous holders of the post were well-known: Hardts immediate successor was Philipp Missfelder, a foreign policy star in Merkels Christian Democratic Union. It wasnt long ago that former Hamburg Mayor Hans-Ulrich Klose, a onetime vice president of the Parliament, had held the position.

Since then, the job has lost much of its sheen. Hardt doesnt shy away from talking about why.

Our nations share historic and long-standing close relations. We share bonds of friendships and personal connections between our people, he said. This solid basis is often overshadowed these days for one simple reason: NSA surveillance. The problem is that this is to a certain degree a matter of two different cultures and experiences. What is being accepted in the United States is not acceptable here.

Hardt notes that Germans are not naive about the ways of the modern spy world. There will be surveillance.

We do not and we cannot expect a complete change of American security policy, he said. But we do expect our citizens to be treated with the same respect U.S. law grants to its citizens. And we do expect that our national laws will be honored.

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NSA eavesdropping still poisons US relations with Germany