After the submarine crisis and the Aukus agreement, conditions are now in place for a resumption of military cooperation between Australia and France, French civil servants have said.
Between France and Australia, the storm has passed. The breach of the mega deal for 12 conventional submarines in favor of nuclear-powered vessels was resolved as part of the Aukus partnership announcement between Australia, the US and the United Kingdom. According to French civil servants, the conditions for resuming military cooperation between the two countries have now been met.
“We have all the necessary conditions to ‘reset’ the relationship,” the general staff said on Monday, adding that they were “in the process of planning high-level exercises” between the two countries.
On June 11, Australia announced a €555 million compensation deal with the Navy group, confirming a “fair deal”. Scott Morrison, then Prime Minister, will cost the Australian taxpayer another $2.4 billion, according to his successor, Anthony Albanese.
A submarine with an Australian flag?
For Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu, the compensation allows him to “open a new chapter” in relations with Canberra. Anthony Albanese was welcomed by Emmanuel Macron in Paris on July 1 to stage this new beginning.
If the issue is resolved for Paris, the issue remains for the Australians, who are basing their purchase of new submarines to counter the rise of China and its ambitions in the Indo-Pacific.
“There is a real question about the ability of Australians to have submarines in due time. Today, given the training business, establishing industrial bases, infrastructure, contracts, construction, it’s very difficult to see what it will look like before 2040. Be an operational submarine under the Australian flag,” he said. Public servants have assessed.
France in August?
The signatories of the Aukus Agreement (Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States) must also see if there is a way to fulfill their aspirations for a naval presence in the Indo-Pacific.
“The global dimension of the French fleet is of great interest to the navy, which cannot occupy all the space. This complicates the calculation of the opposing force. France has something to contribute”.
Can France join the Acus treaty to make it a focus? As for the civil servants, “it is a political question concerning the Quai d’Orsay and the Presidency”.
On July 1, Emmanuel Macron and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met to “rebuild trust” between their two countries. Did they mention this option?
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