EU unveils Indo-Pacific strategy, and admits US’ new ‘Aukus’ alliance came as a surprise
- Top EU diplomat ‘regrets’ not being part of arrangement between Australia, UK and US, but says effect on relations with Washington should not be ‘dramatised’
- French foreign minister calls Australia’s sudden cancellation of a submarine contract a ‘stab in the back’ that is ‘not acceptable between allies’
The European Union announced details of its long-awaited Indo-Pacific strategy on Thursday, at an event that was completely overshadowed by a new US-backed security alliance aimed at countering China.
The strategy calls for the EU to increase its naval presence in the region through port calls and freedom of navigation exercises in a bid to “promote an open and rules-based regional security architecture”.
But at a press conference in Brussels, top EU diplomat Josep Borrell was instead peppered with questions about the “Aukus” security pact between the US, Britain and Australia announced on Wednesday, which sent shock waves through European capitals.
The agreement saw Canberra cancel a US$90 billion deal with France to build a new submarine fleet, infuriating Paris.
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US, UK, Australia announce ‘historic’ military partnership in Pacific
Borrell said he had no idea the plan was in the works, but moved to dampen talk that it put more pressure on an already strained relationship with Washington.
“We’ve only just been made aware of it and weren’t even consulted. I certainly, as the high representative for security policy at the European Union, I was not aware. And I assume that an agreement of such a nature wasn’t just brought together overnight, I think it would have been worked on for quite a while,” Borrell said, suggesting that Aukus proved the “timeliness” of the EU’s own Indo-Pacific policy.