French minister decries ‘duplicity’ in submarine deal
PARIS — France’s foreign minister on Saturday denounced what he called the “duplicity, disdain and lies” surrounding the sudden rupture of France’s lucrative contract to make submarines for Australia in favor of a U.S. deal and declared that a crisis is at hand among the Western allies.
A day after France recalled its ambassadors to the United States and Australia, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian pummeled what he suggested was a backroom deal that betrayed France.
The recalling of its ambassadors “signifies the force of the crisis today” between the French government and Washington and
Canberra, he said in an interview on French television. He said it was the first time ever that France, the United States’ oldest ally, has recalled its ambassador.
The announcement by President Joe Biden of the deal, alongside the leaders of Australia and Britain, for at least eight nuclear-powered submarines has set France in a fury. The French had signed a contract in 2016 for a dozen conventional diesel-electric submarines, and the work to make them was already underway. The deal with French majority state-owned Naval Group was worth at least $66 billion.
The French had billed the deal as the “contract of the century.” But they also regarded it as being about more than submarines. It was the underpinning for
France’s vision of the critical Indo-Pacific region, where France has a presence and China is looking to bolster its influence.
Diplomatic niceties have gone out the window as French authorities seek to make their anger known.
Le Drian denied reports that there had been advance consultations with France ahead of the announcement, saying “this isn’t true.”
Allies “don’t treat each other with such brutality, such unpredictability, a major partner like France . ... So there really is a crisis,” Le Drian said.
“There are reasons for us to question the strength of our alliance,” Le Drian said.
France’s ambassador to Australia also strayed from diplomatic language. “This has been a huge mistake, a very, very bad handling of the partnership,” French Ambassador Jean-Pierre Thebault said before flying home to France.
The arms agreement between France and Australia, signed in 2016, was supposed to be based “on trust, mutual understanding and sincerity,” a fuming Thebault said. “I would like to be able to run into a time machine and be in a situation where we don’t end up in such an incredible, clumsy, inadequate, un-Australian situation.” He said he found out about the canceled contract in the Australian media.
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne’s office issued a statement expressing Canberra’s “regret” over its ally’s withdrawal of its representative.
“Australia understands France’s deep disappointment with our decision, which was taken in accordance with our clear and communicated national security interests,” the statement said. It added that Australia values its relationship with France and looked forward to future engagements.
Payne and Defense Minister Peter Dutton are currently in the United States for their first visit with Biden’s administration.
After the U.S. deal was made public last week, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he told Macron in June there were “very real issues about whether a conventional submarine capability” would address Australia’s strategic security needs in the Indo-Pacific.
But the French maintain they were blindsided. Morrison mentioned “there were changes in the regional situation,” but gave no indication that Australia was considering changing to nuclear propulsion, Thebault said.