[Text/Observer Network Wang Shichun] The Contradiction between France and Australia caused by the tearing up of the submarine contract continues.
According to Reuters on October 31, during the G20 summit, an Australian journalist asked Macron: Do you think Morrison lied? To this, Macron replied bluntly: "I don't have to think, I know." Macron also said Australia needed to do more to rebuild trust between the two allies.
Morrison denied Macron's statement at the press conference on the 31st, saying that he had previously explained to him the reason for canceling the submarine contract, because "conventional submarines can no longer meet Australia's needs", and said that the process of repairing relations between the two countries has begun. It is reported that the G20 summit is the first meeting between the leaders of the two sides since the cancellation of the submarine contract between Australia and France.
In an interview with reporters, Macron stressed: "I have great respect for your country. I am filled with respect and friendship to the people of your country. I'm just saying that when we respect each other, we have to be honest with each other and we have to act in a way that values all the time. ”
Macron is preparing to hold several bilateral meetings with multinational leaders during the G20 summit, but there is no Australia among them. Only before the group photo of the G20 leaders on the 30th, the two briefly had a face-to-face.
At that time, Macron was still talking to others, and Morrison enthusiastically went up to talk and put his hand on Macron's shoulder and patted it. Morrison said: "Hello, hello (g'day), looking forward to the next few days." The two did not communicate further.
Morrison later told reporters that "Macron is happy to greet each other." But judging from the photographer's captures, the atmosphere between the interrupted Macron and Morrison is really "subtle".
Macron and Morrison's "One Side" ABC News screenshot at the G20 summit
Although Macron did not have a formal meeting with Morrison, he met with US President Biden in Rome on the 29th, which was the first meeting between the two sides after the "submarine crisis".
As for the U.S. "snatching" of The French nuclear submarine contract, Biden admitted in front of the media that the U.S. government has acted clumsily in dealing with a defense contract that would deprive France of billions of dollars. Biden also said that France is an extremely important partner of the United States.
Macron told the media after the meeting that today's meeting is the beginning of the process of building trust between the two sides. French government spokesman Attar said on the 29th that France intends to restart cooperation with the United States because both countries are committed to solving key global issues, but restoring trust "this road will be long and arduous."
On September 15, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia announced the creation of a new Indo-Pacific Alliance called Aukus, the most notable of which was the British and American efforts to help Australia build nuclear submarines. It was because of the deal that France lost its $66 billion conventionally powered submarine contract with Australia years ago.
The incident triggered a fierce reaction from France, which recalled its ambassadors to the United States and Australia and issued a series of condemnation statements. But it didn't take long for Biden and Macron to talk on the phone, and the two ambassadors returned to the United States and Australia.
The United States, France and Australia have different opinions on Australia's tearing up of the contract. France insisted that Australia and the United States did not consult with the French side before tearing up the contract. French ambassador to the United States Étienne said in an interview before the G20 summit that the reason why France opposes the submarine cooperation agreement reached by the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom is mainly because "there is no consultation between the allies and no sharing of information."
The ambassador to the United States believes that if the three countries had previously consulted with France, things might have gone in different directions.
In response, Morrison claims that the Australian side works closely with the United States and the United Kingdom, and maintains contact with the government to keep abreast of our various discussions with France in real time. But Australian Foreign Minister Payne said at a hearing that he had "not informed the French side in advance" of the abandonment of the Franco-Australian submarine order, taking into account the high sensitivity of the TRILATERAL security partnership between the United States, Britain and Australia.
The United States told France that the United States thought that the Australian side had notified France in advance. When Biden met with Macron on the 29th, he said: "My impression is that france was told a long time ago that this deal would not be reached. ”
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