France recalls its ambassadors to the United States and Australia. President Emmanuel Macron takes the matter very seriously and considers it necessary to consult with the ambassadors in Paris.
On Thursday, the French foreign minister reacted angrily to the awarding of a new AUKUS defense agreement by the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, centered on nuclear submarines for Australia. An “angry and bitter” minister Jean-Yves Le Drian spoke of a stab in the back. “This unilateral, abrupt and unexpected decision is a reminder of what Mr. Trump will do.”
A White House official said Friday that the U.S. government “regrets” the recall of the French ambassador and wants to calm the situation. Foreign Minister Anthony Blingen has already stressed that France is also a key partner with a reconciliation effort.
“We are sorry they took this step,” said a government official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to Macron. “We will continue to work in the days to come to resolve our differences, as we did at other points during our long alliance.”
The official stressed that the French were one of his country’s “oldest and strongest” allies. “We share a long history, democratic values and a commitment to tackling global challenges.” The United States and France are said to have a shared interest in keeping the Asia-Pacific continent “free and open” and Washington is said to be “working closely” with NATO, the European Union and “other partners”.
The leaders of the three AUKUS countries previously explained that their agreement was aimed at guaranteeing security and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. It drew criticism from China, which in response accused the United States, Great Britain and Australia of having a “Cold War mentality”.
Washington: Talk to the UN about French discontent
The U.S. government hopes to discuss French dissatisfaction with the cancellation of the $ 1 billion deal with Australia at the United Nations General Assembly next week. A spokesman said on Twitter.
“We were in close contact with our French allies,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Nate Price wrote. “We understand their position.” A spokesman said talks on the ‘submarine issue’ could continue at a high level, with the UN in New York next week.
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