TSAMTO, September 20. Paris recalled the ambassadors from the United States and Australia for consultations on the termination of the submarine contract with the Naval Group by Canberra.
This, as RIA Novosti reports, was announced on September 17 by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.
As stated in the communique of the French Foreign Ministry, this was done at the request of the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron.
"This exceptional decision is justified by the special seriousness of the statements made on September 15 by Australia and the United States," the minister stressed.
The Foreign Minister said that Canberra's withdrawal from the submarine project and possible cooperation with the United States to create nuclear submarines for the Australian Navy as part of a new military alliance is "unacceptable behavior between allies and partners."
As previously reported, on September 15, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, US President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the creation of a new AUKUS partnership in the field of defense and security. Canberra also announced its withdrawal from the submarine agreement with the French company Naval Group.
An agreement worth 90 billion rubles. Australian dollars (56 billion euro), which was called the "contract of the century", provided for the production of 12 Barracuda-class attack submarines. Le Drian called Australia's decision a " stab in the back." According to him, he is "angry about the termination of this contract." Paris is waiting for explanations from both Australia and the United States, the agency notes.