David Jacobson, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, has phoned Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon to inform him of the pending release by WikiLeaks of sensitive U.S. diplomatic files (CBC)

The U.S. government has notified Ottawa that the WikiLeaks website is preparing to release sensitive U.S. diplomatic files that could damage U.S. relations with allies around the world.

U.S. officials say the documents may contain accounts of compromising conversations with political dissidents and friendly politicians and could result in the expulsion of U.S. diplomats from foreign postings.

A Foreign Affairs spokeswoman said the U.S. ambassador to Canada, David Jacobson, has phoned Minister of Foreign Affairs Lawrence Cannon to inform him of the matter.

Melissa Lantsman said the Canadian Embassy in Washington is "currently engaging" with the U.S. State Department on the matter.

A State Department spokesman said Wednesday the release of confidential communications about foreign governments probably will erode trust in the United States as a diplomatic partner.

U.S. diplomatic outposts around the world have begun notifying other governments that WikiLeaks may release the documents in the next few days.

With files from The Associated Press