US Ambassador to Germany Philip Murphy apologized on Tuesday for the "unspeakable leak," which led to the publication of confidential reports from US embassies around the world, DPA reported.
However he refused to apologize for the work of the diplomats who compiled the information contained in the cables published by online whistleblower WikiLeaks.
"I will not apologize for the work of my colleagues. This is their job," Murphy said, whilst in Wiesbaden for talks. "They are doing their work and they are outstanding at what they do."
The US embassy in Berlin included scathing remarks about senior German government members, in briefs for Washington bearing Murphy's name.
The cables said Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle's foreign policy thoughts were "short on substance," and referred to his "aggressive temperament." Chancellor Angela Merkel was described as "risk averse and rarely creative."
Murphy said he agreed with US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton that the publication of the cables was an attack on the US and the global diplomatic community. He accused WikiLeaks of acting irresponsibly.
"This has not made the world safer, better or less complicated. To the contrary: The world is more complicated," the ambassador said.
However, Murphy said Germany and the US could continue to work together in confidence, drawing on decades of close cooperation.