French President Emmanuel Macron (left) and U.S. President Joe Biden.Photo: LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP via Getty
PresidentJoe Bidenwas working the phone Wednesday in an apparent effort to smooth things over with French leaderEmmanuel Macronafter the friendship between the two nations hit its rockiest patch in years over what the French foreign minister called a “stab in the back.”
The issue that came between the allies was no small matter, but rather a deal worth billions of dollars announced last week to provide submarines to Australia.
“The two leaders agreed that the situation would have benefited from open consultations among allies on matters of strategic interest to France and our European partners. President Biden conveyed his ongoing commitment in that regard,” the White House said.
France had been working for years on its plan to sell 12 conventional submarines to Australia through a French shipbuilder,CNN reports. On Sept. 15, however, the U.S., the U.K. and Australia announced a trilateral deal — in a partnership dubbed AUKUS — to supply Australia with nuclear-powered submarines instead.
The next day, Australia backed away from its agreement with France.
In the wake of the announcement, which provoked France’s public ire, the countrycalled home its ambassador to the U.S. and canceled a receptionin Washington and toned down a celebration to commemorate the 240th anniversary of a French victory over the British in 1781 at theBattle of Capesthat helped the U.S. win its independence.
In the U.S. for a gathering of the U.N. General Assembly in New York and for meetings with Biden and other officials, Johnson told Macron, “Donnez-moi un break” (“give me a break”) and suggested that “some of our dearest friends,” referring to the French, “prenez un grip” (“get a grip”),the BBC reports.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty
The plan to supply Australia with nuclear submarines is part of the Biden administration’s effort to counter China in the region.
According to the White House statement about the call between Biden and Macron, “the two leaders have decided to open a process of in-depth consultations, aimed at creating the conditions for ensuring confidence and proposing concrete measures toward common objectives.”
The statement goes on to say that the leaders will meet in Europe next month (Biden was already planning on attending the Group of 20 Summit in Rome at the end of October) and that Macron has instructed his ambassador to return to Washington to start “intensive work with senior U.S. officials” on meeting those objectives.
source: people.com
