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Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that after Canberra cancelled its submarine contract with Paris, a “serious crisis” was occurring between allies.
France accuses long-time allies Australia and the United States of lying about a security agreement that caused the Australian government to cancel the contract to purchase French submarines in favor of American ships.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian claimed on Saturday: “There are lies, duplicity, serious breaches of trust and contempt.” “This is not possible,” he told France 2 TV.
Le Drian delivered a speech one day after Paris, on the order of President Emmanuel Macron, Recall its ambassador For Canberra and Washington, this is an unprecedented move, revealing the extent of France’s anger over the breakdown of multi-billion dollar contracts.
He described the ambassador’s withdrawal as a “very symbolic” behavior, with the purpose of “showing how unhappy we are, that there is a serious crisis between us, and reassessing our position to defend our interests.”
He said: “For the first time in the history of US-French relations, we recalled our ambassador for consultation. This is a serious political act, which shows the severity of the current crisis between our two countries.”
Le Drian also gave a sharp response to the question of why France did not recall its ambassador to the UK, and London was also part of the security agreement that caused the contract to break.
“We have recalled our ambassador, [Canberra and Washington] To reassess the situation. With Britain, there is no need. We know their constant opportunism. So there is no need for our ambassador to come back and explain,” he said.
Speaking of London’s role in the agreement, he added: “The UK is a bit like the third round in this matter.”
He added that NATO will have to consider what has already happened when it reconsiders its strategy at the Madrid summit next year.
He said that when France assumes the EU’s rotating presidency in early 2022, it will now give priority to formulating an EU security strategy.
France has previously called the cancellation of this transaction (worth 40 billion U.S. dollars in 2016, which is estimated to be even higher today) as a “stabbing in the back”.
US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that France is an “important ally” and the United States will work to resolve differences in the coming days.
Australia expressed regret that the French ambassador was recalled, and attached importance to relations with France, and will continue to engage with Paris on other issues.
“Australia understands that France is deeply disappointed in our decision, and our decision was made in accordance with our clear and communicated national security interests,” a spokesperson for Foreign Minister Mary Spean said on Saturday.
The trilateral security alliance known as “AUKUS” will see the United States and Britain help produce nuclear-powered submarines for the Australian military.
China also condemned AUKUS, which appears to be trying to counter Beijing’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
The EU’s top diplomat said that the new agreement shows that the EU must develop its own defense and security strategy, especially in the Indo-Pacific region.
“We must survive on ourselves like everyone else,” Joseph Borrell said on Thursday when he proposed a new EU Indo-Pacific strategy.
Borrell said he had not been asked for his opinion on the agreement between Canberra, London and Washington.
“I understand how disappointed the French government must be,” he said.
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