Aukus: France drops Australia as key Indo-Pacific partner after sub snub
- A decision by Canberra to abandon a multibillion-dollar submarine contract with France was viewed by Macron as a betrayal, and sparked a diplomatic row
- After re-evaluating the strategic relationship, France will now ‘pursue bilateral cooperation with Australia on case-by-case basis’
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The shift was announced in September without “prior consultation or warning” and “led to a re-evaluation of the past strategic partnership”, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paris said in the latest version of its official “France’s Indo-Pacific strategy” document.
“France will pursue bilateral cooperation with Australia on case-by-case basis,” it said in the document, which was handed out during a one-day Indo-Pacific summit in Paris on Tuesday.
France to deepen ties with Asia after Aukus snub: diplomat
France, a resident power in the Indo-Pacific, has said a degree of trust has been restored with the US but not with Australia.
Macron has accused Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison of deceiving him about his intentions, an allegation which Morrison’s government denied.
After the submarine snub, Macron began boosting geopolitical partnerships with other powers in the region like India. French territories in the Indo-Pacfic are home to 1.6 million of its citizens.
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US, UK, Australia announce ‘historic’ military partnership in Pacific
Earlier this month, Australia said its bid to acquire nuclear-powered submarines was making “significant progress”, as US and British experts travelled to Australia to advise on the project.
Australia says it plans to arm the submarines with conventional weapons but has yet to decide on the details of the programme, including whether to opt for a fleet based on US or British nuclear-powered attack submarines.
“All three partners have made significant progress in their collective endeavour to provide the Royal Australian Navy with a conventional-armed nuclear-powered submarine capability at the earliest possible date,” Australia and Britain said.
“Leaders further welcomed the presence in Australia of UK and US officials to provide expert advice on the many facets of nuclear stewardship needed to operate a nuclear-powered submarine capability,” they said.
Forged at a time of growing Chinese influence in the Pacific region, the Aukus alliance would make Australia the only non-nuclear weapons power with nuclear-powered submarines, capable of travelling long distances without surfacing.
