AUSKUS agreement: the European Union will seek to “strengthen confidence” with the United States and get out of the crisis with France

The head of community diplomacy, Josep Borrell said on Wednesday that he hopes that the trust between the European Union (EU) and the United States will be strengthened after appeal maintained by French President Emmanuel Macron and American Joe Biden, to reduce the tension generated by the underwater dispute.

Borrell said this before starting a bilateral meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a hotel in New York, where the two meet on the occasion of the United Nations General Assembly.

“I am sure that let’s talk about recent issues where we can build trust with each other after the conversation that took place this morning between President Biden and President Macron. I’m sure we’ll work together», Declared the Spanish diplomat in front of the journalists.

Blinken, for his part, has indicated his intention to speak to a whole host of areas in which the EU and the US cooperate, including Afghanistan and the Indo-Pacific region.

This week, EU foreign ministers agreed that the so-called “submarine crisis” is a problem “affecting the whole Union”Borrell himself said after a meeting in New York.

European countries then expressed their “Clear solidarity with France” and warned that the dispute could “affect” relations with the United States and Australia.

“The most fundamental principles for allies are transparency and trust and they go hand in hand. We see a flagrant lack of transparency and loyalty ”, He said Monday, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel. The Europeans, he said, must “clarify and try to understand what are the intentions behind this announcement”.

In addition, Michel assured that the agreement between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia it will strengthen European efforts to build its own defense system. Such a decision “will not be against our allies, but if we are stronger and more robust, it means that our alliances will also be stronger,” he added.

Wednesday, Biden and Macron tried to ease the tension during a phone call, in which they agreed to meet in person in October in Europe.

The first step will be return to the United States of the French ambassador, called for consultations last week with the French diplomatic representative at Australia after the latter country canceled a lucrative contract with France, worth a total of around 56 billion euros, for the construction of 12 submarines.

Canberra’s change of mind was made public after The United States, United Kingdom and Australia announced on September 15 that they had entered into a defense pact, known as AUKUS, where Washington and London will help Australians develop nuclear powered submarines.

(With information from EFE and AFP)

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