Emmanuel Macron receives the Australian Prime Minister on Friday after the submarine crisis

Europe 1 with AFP 5:50 p.m., June 29, 2022

Emmanuel Macron will receive the new Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday to revive relations between the two countries after the crisis caused by Canberra's breach of a mega contract for the delivery of French submarines, the Elysée said on Wednesday.

A "Relationship Reset" 

"I expect a lot from my visit to Paris," said Mr. Albanese, indicating that he spoke with the French president on Tuesday evening on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Madrid.

In power since May, the Labor leader, who will be welcomed at 1:15 p.m. (11:15 GMT) on Friday at the Elysee Palace, recently said it was "important that this reset of relations takes place" with France, which is both "at the center of power in Europe" and "a key power in the Pacific"

This visit aims to "make it possible to relaunch the strategic partnership on new bases", specified the Elysée.

Relations between the two countries were strongly affected by the cancellation in September 2021 by Mr. Albanese's predecessor, Scott Morrison, of a gigantic contract for 12 submarines, in favor of nuclear-powered vessels as part of of the so-called AUKUS partnership concluded with the United States and the United Kingdom.

A compensation agreement of 555 million euros 

Emmanuel Macron had accused the Australian Prime Minister of the time of deception.

Australia unveiled a €555 million compensation deal with French submarine maker Naval Group in mid-June for canceled submarines.

In total, the failure of the French submarine contract will have cost 2.3 billion dollars (2.18 billion euros) to Australian taxpayers.