French backlash grows over Australia subs reversal
PARIS — Australia’s decision to break off a multibillion-dollar submarine contract with France inked in 2016 and turn to the United States and Britain for nuclear-powered alternatives has sparked deepening fury from France.
On Saturday, France accused Australia and the US of “lying” over the ruptured Australian contract, saying a grave crisis was under way between the allies.
Speaking to France 2 television, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian gave no indication Paris was prepared to let the crisis die down, using distinctly undiplomatic language toward Australia, the US and Britain, which is also part of a new three-way security pact.
“There has been lying, duplicity, a major breach of trust and contempt,” Le Drian said.
The trilateral move may lead to new rifts among the trans-Atlantic allies.
One day earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron recalled the ambassadors to Canberra and Washington in an unprecedented move to signal his fury over Australia’s decision to break the submarine deal.
Le Drian described the withdrawal of the ambassadors for the first time in the history of relations with the countries as a “very symbolic” act that aimed “to show how unhappy we are and that there is a serious crisis between us”.
“We have recalled our ambassadors to (Canberra and Washington) to re-evaluate the situation,” he said. “With Britain, there is no need. We know their constant opportunism. So there is no need to bring our ambassador back to explain.”
Of London’s role in the pact under Prime Minister Boris Johnson, he added with derision: “Britain in this whole thing is a bit like the third wheel.”
As for the United States, Gabriel Attal, a French government spokesman, said on Sunday that US President Joe Biden and Macron will talk on the phone in the coming days.
“There will be an exchange on the phone in the coming days,” he told the BFM news channel, adding that the request for the conversation had come from Biden.
In response to France’s reaction, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Sunday he understood France’s disappointment over the cancellation of the submarine deal but that Australia needed to protect its interests.
‘Great disappointment’
“Of course it’s a matter of great disappointment to the French government, so I understand their disappointment. But at the same time, Australia, like any sovereign nation, must always take decisions that are in our sovereign national defense interest,” Morrison told a briefing.
Australia has rebuffed the French accusations of betrayal, with Defense Minister Peter Dutton insisting Canberra had been “upfront, open and honest” with Paris about its concerns over the deal.
Earlier on Sunday, Australian Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said his country had informed the French government “at the earliest available opportunity, before it became public”.
He told national broadcaster ABC that it was “always going to be a difficult decision” to cancel the French deal.
On Wednesday, the US, Britain and Australia announced the new security partnership, dubbed AUKUS (Australia-UK-US), under which the first initiative is the delivery of a nuclear-powered submarine fleet to Australia by the other two.
With that, France has lost a contract to supply conventional submarines to Australia that was worth A$50 billion ($36.5 billion) when signed in 2016.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, a global nuclear watchdog, has voiced concern amid international worries about the proliferation of nuclear materials.
“The IAEA will engage with them (Australia, the United States and Britain) on this matter in line with its statutory mandate, and in accordance with their respective safeguards agreements,” the agency said in a statement on Thursday.