Australia’s contract cancellation order for 12 French submarines continues to make waves. As France’s ambassador to Canberra leaves the Australian capital, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has responded with anger According to him, he had expressed his concerns about the contract “a few months ago”.
The Australian Prime Minister regretted the recall to Paris of the French ambassador, and said he understood the deep disappointment linked to the decision to no longer appeal to France. He explained that the capabilities of the Attack-class submarine did not meet Australia’s strategic interests.
Criticism against the French manufacturer
For $ 56 billion, the French signed a contract in 2016 for a dozen conventional diesel-electric submarines and manufacturing was underway in Australia. But the French manufacturer Naval Group had been criticized for several months, Australia denounced the additional costs of the program.
France’s anger
“It’s very symbolicsaid Jean Yves Le Drian, French Minister of Foreign Affairs. There has been a lie, there has been duplicity, there has been a significant breach of trust and there has been contempt, so things are not going well between us, not at all. It means there is a crisis.
France is the collateral victim of an alliance of three countries: Australia, United States and Great Britain. Three nations which announced Wednesday a strategic partnership to counter China, dubbed AUKUS, which includes the supply of American submarines.
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