Feb 7 (Reuters) - Britain's security officials have

ordered that Apple ( AAPL ) create a so-called 'back door'

allowing them to retrieve all the content any Apple ( AAPL ) user

worldwide has uploaded to the cloud, The Washington Post

reported on Friday citing people familiar with the matter.

Rather than break the security promises it made to its users

everywhere, Apple ( AAPL ) is likely to stop offering encrypted storage

in the UK, the report said, citing unnamed sources.

UK's office of the Home Secretary has served Apple ( AAPL ) with a

document called a technical capability notice, ordering it to

provide the access, as per Washington Post.

Apple ( AAPL ) did not respond to a Reuters request for comment

outside regular business hours.

Britain's interior ministry did not immediately comment on

the report.

Britain in January used its regulatory powers to launch an

investigation into Apple ( AAPL ) and Google's smartphone operating

systems, app stores and browsers.