Acknowledging Crisis Related To Cancellation Of Submarine Deal, French Foreign Minister: There Is Duplication, Humiliation, Lies

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. (Wikimedia Commons/The Official CTBTO Photostream)

JAKARTA - French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said there was a crisis between France and Australia and the United States (US), along with the cancellation of submarine orders, followed by the withdrawal of diplomatic missions.

France announced the withdrawal of its ambassadors from Washington and Canberra on Friday, along with a trilateral security deal forming a defense alliance with Britain.

"The fact that, for the first time in the history of relations between the United States and France, we summoned our ambassador for consultations is a serious political act, shows the intensity of today's crisis between our two countries and also with Australia," Le Drian told France television. 2, citing Reuters 19 September.

"There has been duplication, insults, and lies. You can't play like that in an alliance," he added.

Canberra announced the cancellation of a 2016 US$40 billion conventional submarine order from France's Naval Group. In exchange, as the alliance is formed, Australia will get about eight nuclear submarines from the US.

Le Drian said French President Emmanuel Macron had not spoken to US President Joe Biden about the submarine issue. However, he again drew parallels between President Biden and his predecessor Donald Trump in an unexpected fashion.

Le Drian also repeated criticism of what Paris sees as the opportunism of former EU member Britain in joining Washington and Canberra, calling London the "spare tire" of the initiative.

Separately, French Ambassador to Australia Jean-Pierre Thebault said Australia had made a "major" diplomatic mistake, abandoning a multi-billion dollar order for French submarines in favor of alternative deals with the United States and Britain.

"This is a huge mistake, a very, very bad handling of a partnership - because it is not a contract, it is a partnership that should be based on trust, mutual understanding, and sincerity," French Ambassador Jean-Pierre Thebault told reporters in Canberra before returning to Paris.

Thebault said he was deeply saddened to have to leave Australia, but added there was a "reassessment" of bilateral relations.

"It's not about selling salads or potatoes, it's a relationship of trust at the highest level that includes questions with the highest level of confidentiality and sensitivity," he explained separately to SBS radio.

Separately, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said France was an "important ally" and the United States would work in the coming days to resolve differences.

Meanwhile, Australia said it regrets the withdrawal of the French ambassador and values relations with France and will continue to engage with Paris on other matters.

"Australia understands France's deep disappointment at our decision, which was taken in accordance with our clear and communicated national security interests," Foreign Minister spokeswoman Marise Payne said.

To note, the dispute between Paris and Canberra marks the lowest point in relations between the two countries since 1995, when Australia protested France's decision to resume nuclear tests in the South Pacific and summoned its ambassador for consultations.