French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian
PARIS, Sept 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — France plunged into an unprecedented diplomatic crisis with the United States and Australia on Friday after it recalled its ambassadors from both countries over a trilateral security deal which sank a US$40 billion French-designed submarine contract.
Foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said in a statement that the rare decision taken by President Emmanuel Macron was made due to the seriousness of the matter.
“The abandonment of the submarine project … and the announcement of a new partnership with the United States aiming at launching new studies for future possible nuclear propulsion cooperation is unacceptable behaviour between allies,” he said in a statement on Friday.
“The consequences touch the very concept that we have of alliances, our partnerships and the importance of the Indo-Pacific for Europe.”
On Thursday, Australia said it would scrap the US$40 billion deal with France’s Naval Group to build a fleet of conventional submarines and would instead build at least eight nuclear-powered submarines with US and British technology after striking a trilateral security partnership. France called it a stab in the back.
A White House official said the United States regretted the French decision and that Washington had been in close touch with France over it. The official said the United States would be engaged in coming days to resolve differences with France.
Australia said on Saturday it regretted France’s decision to recall its ambassador to Canberra, but that it values its relationship with France and will keep engaging with Paris on many other issues.
“We note with regret France’s decision to recall its Ambassador to Australia,” a spokesperson for the foreign ministry said in a statement.
“Australia values its relationship with France … We look forward to engaging with France again on our many issues of shared interest, based on shared values.”
The French ambassador recalls from the United States and Australia, key allies of France, are unprecedented. Withdrawing envoys is a last resort diplomatic step taken when relations between feuding countries are plunged into crisis but highly unusual between allies.
“I am being recalled to Paris for consultations,” France ambassador to the US Philippe Etienne wrote on Twitter. “This follows announcements directly affecting the vision we have of our alliances, of our partnerships and of the importance of the Indo-Pacific for Europe.”
Paris sees itself as a major power in the Indo-Pacific due to overseas territories such as New Caledonia and French Polynesia which give it a strategic and military foothold unmatched by any other European country.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tried on Thursday to calm the French outcry, calling France a vital partner in the Indo-Pacific.
Earlier on Friday, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison rejected French criticism that it had not been warned about the new deal, saying he had raised the possibility in talks with the French president that Australia might scrap the 2016 submarine deal with a French company.
Morrison acknowledged the damage to Australia-France ties but insisted he had told Macron in June that Australia had revised its thinking.
“I made it very clear, we had a lengthy dinner there in Paris, about our very significant concerns about the capabilities of conventional submarines to deal with the new strategic environment we’re faced with,” he told 5aa Radio.
“I made it very clear that this was a matter that Australia would need to make a decision on in our national interest.”
The French announcement came as Australia’s Foreign Minister Marise Payne was speaking at the American Enterprise Institute think tank in Washington. She gave no sign she was aware of it.
Referring to the submarine deal, Payne said such commercial and strategic decisions were difficult to manage, but, responding to a question, she said there was “no question” that France remained a valued ally.
“I absolutely understand the disappointment,” she said.
“My task is to work as hard as I can … to make sure that they do understand the value we place on the role that they play and do understand the value we place on the bilateral relationship and the work we want to continue to do together.”
The strained ties among the long-time allies come as the United States and its allies seek additional support in Asia and the Pacific given concern about the rising influence of a more assertive China.
France is about to take over the presidency of the European Union, which on Thursday released its strategy for the Indo-Pacific, pledging to seek a trade deal with Taiwan and to deploy more ships to keep sea routes open. — NNN-AGENCIES
