Agreement for the submarines: France has warned that the end of the crisis with the United States will take “time” and will require “actions”

In the midst of the diplomatic crisis around the agreement on submarines, this Thursday France has warned that the reorientation of relations with the United States will take “time” and will require “action”.

A day after the presidents of the two countries They will be talking on the phone to try to bring down the tension, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Yves Le Drian, and the US Secretary of State, Antoine Blink, held a bilateral meeting in New York, where they are attending the United Nations General Assembly.

According to a statement by the French government, the Minister of Foreign Affairs discussed with Blinken the process of enhanced consultations that the two countries have agreed to “restore confidence”.

Le Drian, as noted in this note, recalled that A “first step with the appeal between the two presidents has been taken, but it has been confirmed that the solution to the crisis between the two countries will take time and will require action”.

During the meeting, which was held at the French mission to the United Nations, both agreed to stay in “close contact», Explained the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Le Drian and Blinken had coincided in recent hours during several meetings with other ministers held at UN headquarters, including a private one last night between the five permanent members of the Security Council and a public meeting today in the same. body to discuss climate. crisis.

Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron and American Joe Biden have reached an agreement in a telephone conversation some first steps to reduce tensions and they agreed to meet in person in October in Europe.

The first measure will be the return to the United States of the French ambassador, called for consultations last week with the French diplomatic representative in Australia after the latter country cancel a lucrative contract with France, totaling around 56,000 million euros, for the construction of 12 submarines.

Washington pointed out yesterday that the engagement of France and the European Union in the Indo-Pacific is “of strategic importance” and also recognized the need for a “stronger and more capable European defense which positively contributes to transatlantic and global security and which is complementary to NATO’s role”.

The United States, which according to the Elysee is the one who requested the appeal, It also pledged to strengthen its support for the counterterrorism operations of European countries in the Sahel. as part of the common fight against terrorism.

Washington said last Thursday that US officials had high-level talks with Paris before announcing an agreement with Australia to buy American rather than French nuclear submarines, but France insisted it had been caught off guard.

However, France has denied these statements. “We had not been informed before the publication of the first news of this agreement in the American and Australian press, a few hours before the official announcement of Joe Biden”, assured a spokesperson for the French Embassy in Washington.

The AUKUS deal shattered Australia’s 2016 multi-million dollar pact to buy submarines from France, which had been personally endorsed by President Macron.

Precisely, the first effect of AUKUS was the announcement by the Australian government of the cancellation of a purchase contract for conventional French submarines, estimated at some 56,000 million euros.

Last Thursday, Australian Defense Minister says US-backed nuclear submarines are a better option: “At the end of the day, the decision we have taken is based on what is best for our national security,” said the Minister of Defense, Peter Dutton, at a joint press conference in Washington.

The Australian Prime Minister, Scott MorrisonIn the meantime, he admitted that Macron had moved away from him after the crisis, but promised to be “patient” to restore relations with France.

Speaking from Washington on Wednesday night, Morrison explained that he had tried to contact Macron but that They had not “yet” been able to speak.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of France marked the new “stab in the back” agreement. “It’s not something the allies do to each other.”, lambasted last week.

In this sense, the President of the European Council, Charles MichelMonday accused the United States of lack of loyalty. “The most fundamental principles for allies are transparency and trust and they go hand in hand. We see a glaring lack of transparency and loyalty», He declared to the press at the United Nations, before the General Assembly.

Europeans, he said, need “clarify and try to understand what are the intentions behind this advertisement ”.

Michel assured that this agreement will strengthen European efforts to build its own defense system. Such a decision “It won’t be against our allies, but if we are stronger and more robust, that means our alliances will be stronger as well.”

(With information from EFE)

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