Australia defends its handling of French submarine deal

Australia defended its cancellation of a deal for French submarines on Sunday, saying the government had expressed concern to Paris for months as a new deal with the United States.

Australia abandoned the 2016 deal with the French Naval Group to build a fleet of conventional submarines.

It announced a plan to build at least eight nuclear-powered submarines with American and British technology in a trilateral safety partnership.

“I do not regret the decision to put Australia’s national interest first,” said Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Morrison said he understood France’s disappointment over the cancellation of the order, valued at $40 billion in 2016 and reckoned to cost much more today, but reiterated that Australia must always take decisions in its best interest.

“This is an issue that had been raised by me directly some months ago and we continued to talk those issues through, including by defence ministers and others,” he said.

The new trilateral deal has put Washington in an unprecedented diplomatic crisis with France that analysts say could do lasting damage to the U.S. alliances with France and Europe, also throwing into doubt the united front.

Defence Minister Peter Dutton said Australia was upfront, open and honest with France about its concerns.

“Suggestions that the concerns hadn’t been flagged by the Australian government, just defy, frankly, what’s on the public record and certainly what they’ve said publicly over a long period of time,” he said.

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Kamila/Reuters