April 26, 2024

Paris cancels ministerial meeting with London

Paris cancels ministerial meeting with London

New York / London / Canberra. French Defense Minister Florence Parly has canceled a meeting with her British colleague Ben Wallace due to a row over the sale of failed French submarines to Australia. Peter Ricketts, co-chair of the Franco-British Council, said the meeting had been “postponed to a later date”, the BBC and the Guardian reported on Monday. Parley was to travel to London as part of the organization’s meeting, and high-ranking military officials were also to take part in the deliberations of the two largest military powers in Western Europe.

As part of a tripartite agreement with the United States and Great Britain, Australia agreed to build nuclear-powered submarines and canceled a €56 billion contract with France starting in 2016.

Great Britain wants to pacify France in the submarine dispute

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tried to pacify France. On his trip to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, he said that London and Paris had a “very friendly relationship” of “extreme importance”. Our love for France is indelible. The deal should not exclude anyone.

Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed, Sunday, that he does not regret canceling the deal with Paris. It is understood that in this case the other party involved in this contract would be offended and frustrated. “I understand that,” he said. However, Australian interests prevailed. Morrison said he had “deep and serious concerns” that French submarines were not enough “to protect our interests.” Sovereignty”.

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Outraged by the tripartite agreement and the failure of its billion-dollar deal, France recalled its ambassadors from the United States and Australia for consultations. Paris has also made it clear that it sees the actions of Washington and London as a burden on NATO and a challenge to the European Union.