France got angry on Australia and America, said – stabbed in the back [TKB World]

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said he has decided to invest in American nuclear submarines and cancel deal from the diesel-electric submarines contract with France.

Morrison said that he took this decision due to the changed strategic environment. US President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced a new security deal with Australia and Britain.

Under this security agreement, a submarine equipped with nuclear capability will be built in Australia. With this agreement, Australia has broken the contract to build 12 submarines with the French state-owned company DCNS. In 2016, France won this contract from Australia and since then Australia has spent $ 1.8 billion on it.

Australian PM said – I know France will be disappointed with our decision

Morrison said that when Australia signed a $ 43 billion deal in 2016, the option of American nuclear submarine technology was not open. America is now ready to share technology with Britain. Morrison said he spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron in June this year and said he was apprehensive about the potential of the conventional submarine.

According to Morrison, he told Macron that Australia needed a deal in terms of strategic security in the Indo-Pacific. Morrison said, ‘Obviously France will be disappointed by this. They are our good partners. But we have taken this decision due to our strategic interest, strategic needs and changed strategic situation. Australian Army Chief General Angus Campbell has welcomed the new agreement signed with the US and Britain.

Campbell said, ‘Our strategic position is constantly deteriorating. Challenges are constantly increasing in challenging situations. We have to take decisions keeping in mind the future. However, Australia has not yet decided which type of submarine they will choose and how much will the nuclear submarine cost.

Morrison has said that Australia’s defense budget will increase. Currently, Australia’s defense budget is 2.2% of its GDP. Australia will get the first 97 meter long shortfin Barracuda Submarine from France in 2027. Morrison said that these submarines will be built in Adelaide and will be ready by 2040. According to France 24, France is upset with this decision of Australia.

France Foreign Minister said – it is like stabbing in the back

France Foreign Minister Jean-Eve Ludgian and Defense Minister Florence Parly said in a joint statement, “The American option has ousted an ally of Europe.” This has happened when France’s partnership with Australia was taking shape and we are facing all kinds of challenges in the Indo-Pacific. If we look at it on the basis of values ​​or the criteria of a multipolar world, there is little sense of harmony and France can only express regret.’

The French foreign minister told French radio on Thursday morning that it was a stab in the back. He said that France had established a relationship of trust with Australia but it had been betrayed.