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AUKUS: “We informed Macron in time” says Australian Prime Minister

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison today rejected France’s criticism of the Canberra decision to cancel an agreement for the purchase of submarines by a French company explaining that he had made it clear to the French president since June that this might happen, while also rejecting China’s angry reaction to the AUKUS security pact.

Australia announced on Thursday that it was canceling a giant contract worth 90 billion Australian dollars (about 56 billion euros) with France for the delivery of a new submarine fleet by the French shipbuilding company Naval Group, provoking the wrath of Paris.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian described the decision as a backstabbing. Morrison had pointed out yesterday that France had been informed of Canberra’s decision before the announcement, something that Paris denied.

The Australian Prime Minister today acknowledged the damage the decision had done to his country’s relations with France, but insisted that he had informed French President Emmanuel Macron in June that Canberra was reviewing the agreement and that he might change his mind.

“I made it very clear, we had a long dinner in Paris during which we discussed the capabilities of conventional submarines to cope with the new strategic environment,” Morrison told 5aa radio.

“I have made it clear that this is an issue that Australia will decide on the basis of its national interests”, he added.

In other comments on the 2GB radio station, the Australian Prime Minister also rejected China’s angry reaction after the announcement of the new security pact between the USA, Britain and Australia, which includes the delivery of nuclear-powered submarines to Canberra.

China was not named in a joint statement by the leaders of Australia, the United States and Britain, but US President Joe Biden spoke of “rapidly evolving threats” and the need to step up security and military deterrence in the Indian and Pacific regions. .

Morrison stressed today that the pact “is in the interest of all, including China,” and aims to keep the region safe and secure.

He emphasized that the decision was not a signal of a formal antitrust inquiry into Australia, but said that China had “a very important nuclear submarine program”.

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