In escalation over submarine deal, France recalls envoys from U.S. and
Australia
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[September 18, 2021]
By John Irish, Colin Packham, David Brunnstrom and Humeyra Pamuk
PARIS/CANBERRA/
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -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 French-designed
submarine contract with Canberra.
The rare decision taken by French President Emmanuel Macron was made due
to the "exceptional gravity" of the matter, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves
Le Drian said in a statement.
On Thursday, Australia said it would scrap a $40 billion deal signed in
2016 for France's Naval Group to build a fleet of conventional
submarines and would instead build at least eight nuclear-powered
submarines with U.S. and British technology after striking a trilateral
security partnership. France called it a stab in the back.
A diplomatic source in France said it was the first time Paris had
recalled its own ambassadors in this way.
Australia said on Saturday morning it regretted the recall, and that it
valued the relationship with France and would keep engaging with Paris
on other issues.
"Australia understands France's deep disappointment with our decision,
which was taken in accordance with our clear and communicated national
security interests," a spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Minister Marise
Payne said in a statement. [L4N2QJ3JI]
U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that France was a
'vital ally' and that the United States would be engaged in coming days
to resolve the differences.
The French foreign ministry statement made no mention of Britain, but
the diplomatic source said France considered Britain had joined the deal
in an opportunistic manner.
"We don't need to hold consultations with our (British) ambassador to
know what to make of it or to draw any conclusions," the source added.
Le Drian said the deal was unacceptable.
"The cancellation (of the project) ... and the announcement of a new
partnership with the United States meant to launch studies on a possible
future cooperation on nuclear-powered submarines, constitute
unacceptable behavior between allies and partners," he said in a
statement.
He added that the consequences "directly affect the vision we have of
our alliances, of our partnerships and of the importance of the
Indo-Pacific for Europe."
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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 French-designed submarine contract with Canberra.
LOW POINT
The row marks the lowest point in relations between Australia and
France since 1995, when Canberra protested France's decision to
resume nuclear testing in the South Pacific and recalled its
ambassador for consultations.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday rejected French
criticism that it had not been warned about the new deal, and said
he had raised the possibility in talks with the French president
that Australia might scrap the Naval Group deal.
Morrison 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 strain in multilateral ties 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.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken tried on Thursday to calm the
French outcry, calling France a vital partner in the region.
Pierre Morcos, a visiting fellow at Washington's Center for
Strategic and International Studies, called France's move
"historic."
"Reassuring words such as those heard yesterday from Secretary
Blinken are not enough for Paris - especially after French
authorities learned that this agreement was months in the making,"
he said.
(Reporting by Colin Packham, John Irish and David Brunnstrom;
Editing by Robert Birsel, David Gregorio and Sonya Hepinstall)
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