Europe 1 with AFP 4:33 p.m., September 17, 2021
The Secretary of State for European Affairs, Clément Beaune, said Friday that Australia's decision to break their commitment to buy French submarines was "a serious breach of confidence".
"The signing of a contract is worth something," he complained.
France does not see how it can trust Canberra in the trade negotiation between the EU and Australia after their decision to break their commitment to buy French submarines, the secretary of state for business said on Friday. European Clément Beaune.
Beaune insists on the word "given"
"We are having trade negotiations with Australia, I do not see how we can trust the Australian partner", declared Clément Beaune during a program on RFI radio and France 24 and Public Senate televisions the day after the event. announcement of a security pact between Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom which results in the cancellation of the French contract.
"This is a serious breach of confidence on Australia's part," he said.
"International relations, it is not naivety, good feelings, but the word, the signing of a contract is worth something. If we no longer have confidence, we can no longer move forward," he said. -he thinks.
The caution of the European Commission
The European Commission has been responsible since 2018 for negotiating free trade agreements with Australia and New Zealand. Asked Thursday about the consequences of France's ire on the ongoing negotiations between the EU and Australia for the conclusion of a free trade agreement, the Commission played it safe. "There will be no immediate effect on discussions and relations with Australia," said Deputy Commission spokesperson Dana Spinant.
The announcement of the security partnership, AUKUS, which provides for Washington and London to help Canberra acquire nuclear attack submarines, angered France, which had signed a contract worth tens of billions of dollars. euros in 2016 to supply Australia with a dozen conventional submarines, which were canceled.