Paris: The conflict over submarines continues: France doubts NATO: “There is a crisis”

Disagreements continue between France and the trio of Australia, the United States and Great Britain. Now even NATO is being questioned.

Paris – Der U-Boot-Streit Frankreichs mit Australien, den USA und Großbritannien spitzt sich weiter zu: Der Fall belaste die Zukunft der Nato und wirke sich auf die Festlegung des neuen strategischen Konzepts des Bündnisagse Drusen aß Saturday. He also attacked the Allies with words that were unusually sharp in diplomacy. Australia defended its approach.

Dispute over submarines: Australia unexpectedly announces the purchase of billions of dollars in French submarines

When it comes to reassessing its strategy at its summit meeting next year, NATO must take into account recent events, as Le Drian demanded regarding the submarine dispute. “You also have to question the strength of the alliance with the United States,” the secretary of state said. “In a true alliance you talk to each other and respect each other, it wasn’t the case.” What happened is a burden on the new strategic concept of NATO. Le Drian spoke of lies and dishonesty. “It doesn’t work at all, it means there is a crisis.” Previously, the head of the NATO Military Committee, Rob Bauer, said he did not expect any implications for military cooperation.

The reason for the unusually violent dispute between the Allies was the creation of a new Indo-Pacific security alliance between the USA, Great Britain and Australia. This prompted the Australian government to abandon a multi-billion dollar submarine deal with France and buy American nuclear submarines instead. The deal had previously been negotiated for years.

PARIS: FM attacks Australia – ‘lying, duplicity, serious breach of trust’

Le Drian accused allies on Saturday of “lying, duplicity, breach of trust and contempt”. Australia has rejected the allegations – Canberra has expressed doubts about a planned submarine purchase for Paris “frankly and honestly,” Defense Minister Peter Dutton said on Sunday. The armaments project was years behind schedule and over budgeted.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Paris should have recognized the country’s “deep and serious concerns”. “We have made it clear that we will make a decision based on our strategic national interests,” Morrison said in Sydney. Paris should have known that French submarines “will not serve our strategic interests”. He understood the disappointment in Paris, but did not regret his decision to put the interests of Australia first. US Treasury Secretary Simon Birmingham said Australia had informed France of the agreement “as soon as possible before it is published”.

France: Macron has already begun a diplomatic withdrawal – the dispute continues

In light of China’s expansion efforts in the economically important Indo-Pacific region, Washington, London and Canberra announced their new alliance on Wednesday. Among other things, it allows Australia to benefit from US technology in building nuclear-powered submarines and from knowledge in the field of cyber defense. The United States also wants to expand its military presence in Australia.

France also considers itself a great power in the Indo-Pacific due to overseas territories such as New Caledonia and French Polynesia. Le Drian accused Canberra of “stabbing” Paris. our president Joe Biden*, who declared competition with China to be the main theme of his foreign policy, made a “brutal” decision based on the slogan of his predecessor Donald Trump – “America First”.

Meanwhile, France feels betrayed. As a sign of alarm, France recalled its ambassadors from Washington and Canberra in an unusual diplomatic move between the Allies. This move was made at the request of the President Emmanuel Macron*. France had previously canceled a celebration of French-American friendship. The dispute continues. open exit. (as / afp) *Mercur.de It is a show of IPPEN.MEDIA