French reaction to Australia’s nuclear submarine announcement
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France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian issued an official communiqué in response to today’s AUKUS announcement, which included the cancellation of Australia’s contract with Naval Group for the French-designed Attack-class conventional submarine program.
Mr Le Drian statement said France took note of the decision just announced by the Australian government to stop its Future Submarine Program and to launch cooperation with the United States on nuclear-powered submarines.
“It is a decision contrary to the letter and the spirit of the cooperation which prevailed between France and Australia, based on a relationship of political trust on the development of an industrial and technological base of defense of very high level in Australia,” Mr Le Drian said.
“The American choice which leads to the removal of an ally and a European partner like France from a structuring partnership with Australia, at a time when we are facing unprecedented challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, whether in terms of our values or on respect for multilateralism based on the rule of law marks an absence of coherence that France can only observe and regret.
“While the joint communication on the European strategy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region is published today, France confirms its desire for very ambitious action in this region aimed at preserving everyone’s “freedom of sovereignty”.
“The only European nation present in the Indo-Pacific with nearly two million of its nationals and more than 7000 soldiers, France is a reliable partner which will continue to keep its commitments there, as it has always done.
“The regrettable decision just announced on the [Future Submarine Program] only reinforces the need to raise the issue of European strategic autonomy loud and clear.
“There is no other credible way to defend our interests and values in the world, including the Indo-Pacific.”
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Australia should never have worried about disposal of nuclear fuel once the french nuclear boats needed refueling. We should have bought the nuclear French baracuda or better still the British nuclear subs in the first place. Malcolm Turnball and Defence department were too worried about the politics of nuclear subs that defence of australia was a secondary consideration behind that. Fortunately the China threat is becoming much more obvious now that reality now trumps politics.
An accurate article was in the Canberra Times recently. Mann issues identified by Australian team and already pissing money against the wall. A $90 billion dollar contract that already looked like blowing out by as much as $90 billion. A licence to print money for no real return?
In Hitler’s “phony war” in 1939 France had agreement with Czechoslovakia to assist in conflict. Hitler walked in and France did nothing!
Australia needs Defence. Not outrage’s expense for obsolete subs. The country can’t not afford Turnabull’s over priced and out dated defence contracts. If that person ever understood defence he never showed any knowledge of it whilst in Government. He was completely out of his depth on all levels.