In the assurance that the new security pact between the US and Britain and Australia, which mainly includes the delivery of nuclear submarines to Canberra, is not a harbinger of a Cold War between the West and China, said on Thursday (16/9) the British Minister of Defense.
Ben Wallace noted that the pact does not include nuclear weapons and does not concern China.
Asked by Times Radio if he believed the pact was part of a new Cold War with China, Wallace replied: “No, I do not and I believe calling it the Cold War is outdated.”
«This is not a message to ChinaHe stressed.
Referring to France, Wallace, as reported by the Athenian News Agency, citing British media, stressed that the new pact between the US, Britain and Australia does not represent a strategic difference between Britain and France, although, as he said, he understands Paris’ frustration with the loss of the contract.
Immediately after the announcement of this agreement, Australia cancels $ 90 billion giant contract Australia (approximately 56 billion euros), with France for the delivery of a new fleet of submarines by the French shipbuilding company Naval Group, provoking the anger of Paris.
Wallace told the BBC he had spoken to his French counterpart, adding: “This is not a strategic dispute between Britain and France.”
«I understand France ‘s frustration with its industrial contractHe added.
The British defense industry will be strengthened by the new pact for the exchange of technology between the USA and Britain with Australia, Wallace added.
«There will be a boost for the UK defense industry with this partnership because we have submarine systems “Australia does not have and we will be able to offer things on it,” he told the BBC, stressing that the pact was not a “betrayal” to the detriment of the French.
Fire from France: It is a crude decision of the US President
It is a “backstab knife” from Australia and a “raw” decision of US President Joe Biden, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian also reacted today to France Info.
“It really is a backstab,” he said. “This unilateral, crude, unpredictable decision is very similar to what (former US President Donald Trump) did,” he said, adding that he “feels angry, along with a lot of bitterness.”
“We have built a relationship of trust with Australia. “That trust has been betrayed,” said Lendrian, who himself had signed this “contract of the century” for submarines with Australia when he was Secretary of Defense.
A “serious” fact is the cancellation by Australia of the giant contract with France for the delivery of conventional submarines, French Defense Minister Florence Parley reacted at the same time, emphasizing that Australia has failed to fulfill its word.
“From a geopolitical and international point of view, it is serious,” Parley told RFI, adding that it “clearly shows the way the United States is dealing with its allies,” following a statement from Washington that it had reached an agreement. agreement for the delivery of nuclear submarines to Canberra, together with Britain, but without France.
Paris will try to reduce the financial blow to the Naval Group by the cancellation of this agreement by Australia, Parley also noted, who did not rule out the claim of compensation from Canberra.
“We are studying all directions and will try to ‘limit the possible consequences for the Naval Group,'” he said in a statement to RFI, when asked if France could seek compensation.
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