Pennsylvania, Sept. 16 Reuters - The United States' decision to push France from a deal they signed with Australia to procure subs shows a lack of coherence at a time the two allies are facing common challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, France said on Thursday.
United States, Britain and Australia said earlier that they would form a security partnership for the Indo-Pacific region which will include helping Australia acquire U.S. nuclear submarines and scrap a multi-billion dollar French-designed submarine deal.
The choice to set aside a European ally and partner like France from a structural partnership with Australia at a time when we face unprecedented challenges in the Indo-Pacific region shows a lack of coherence that France can only acknowledge and regret, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Defense Minister Florence Parly said in a joint statement.
Australia selected the French shipbuilder Naval Group to build a new submarine fleet worth $40 billion in 2016 to replace its previous Collins submarines by more than two-decades.
It has been one of the world's most successful defense transactions, but has been faced by issues and delays due to Canberra's request that the majority of the manufacturing and components be sourced locally.
The french foreign and defence ministers also said in a statement that Australia's decision to renege on the contract went against the spirit of cooperation between them.
They added that this move reinforced all the elements, but only the need for Europe to reach strategic autonomy. There is no other credible way to defend our interests and values around the world, including in the Indo-Pacific region, they said.