Berlin, April 28 (RHC)-- Germany is to replace its foreign spy chief in an apparent move to compensate repercussions of controversial cooperation between the service and intelligence agencies in the United States.

An official from German Chancellor Angela Merkel's office said in a statement on Wednesday that Bruno Kahl is to replace Gerhard Schindler in his position as head of the German intelligence body, the BND.

Schindler, 63 years of age, who has led the BND since 2012, will take early retirement beginning July 1st, said Peter Altmaier, chief of staff of Angela Merkel's Chancellery.  The official would not elaborate on the details of Schindler's departure and government spokesman Steffen Seibert declined to comment when asked at a regular press briefing.

Results of an investigation released in October 2015 showed that the NSA had handed lists of European government offices as targets for espionage to the BND, demanding the results be sent to Washington.  The report concluded that the BND ignored some of the NSA demands, but that it still maintained cooperation with that notorious U.S. espionage service.