Apple CEO: “The government doesn’t have access to our servers.”

Apple chief Tim Cook has strongly rebuffed claims that the government and its intelligence agencies have access to his company’s data. “There is no backdoor,” he said in an interview with ABC News. “The government doesn’t have access to our servers. They would have to cart us out in a box for that, and that just will not happen. We feel that strongly about it.”

In the one-on-one interview, which you can view on the ABC News blog, Cook called for Congress to allow for more transparency when dealing with information requests from governments and users.

“We need to be significantly more transparent,” said Cook. “We need to say what data is being given, how many people it affects, how many accounts are affected, we need to be clear. We have a gag order on us right now and so we can’t say those things.”

Cook also showed off Apple’s newest and most powerful machine, the Mac Pro, which is being manufactured in Austin, Texas. He was less forthcoming about the company’s future products, however, batting away questions on a larger iPhone and the long-rumored iWatch: “We believe fundamentally that people love surprises,” he said. “There are black drapes and numerous locked doors and many other things.”

The Apple boss did confirm the development of the company’s new facility in Arizona. If the rumors are to believed, the super-strength sapphire crystal manufactured here will be used in forthcoming iPads, iPhones, iPods and — just maybe — the new iWatch. “It’s the sapphire announcement… and that’s sort of all I’ll say about it.”