Belgium, (Brussels Morning Newspaper) French President Emmanuel Macron noted that the country is open to a submarine deal with Australia.
Speaking in Bangkok on Thursday after meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the margins of the recent G20 summit, Macron pointed out that the French offer “remains on the table,” according to France24 reporting.
Albanese’ predecessor Scott Morrison previously backed out of the agreement according to which France was to supply Australia with diesel-powered submarines, sparking a row between the two countries.
At the time, Morrison announced Australia would buy nuclear-powered submarines from the US or the UK. As Albanese succeeded Morrison, relations between Australia and France have improved.
Macron noted in Bangkok that France will not supply foreign countries with nuclear submarines, stressing that the offer relates only to diesel-powered vessels.
According to Macron, construction would take place in Australia and the move would help the country to protect its sovereignty.
“There is a fundamental choice, which is to know whether they produce submarines in their own country or rely on another – whether they go for nuclear or not,” Macron pointed out.
Albanese visited Paris in July and announced his interaction with Macron would be focused on “trust, respect and honesty.”
Australia’s compensation
The meeting followed Australia’s decision to compensate France with 555 million euro for backing out of the submarine deal estimated at 33 billion. Albanese described the move as “fair and equitable.”
Speaking in Bangkok on Thursday, Macron pointed out that the Indo-Pacific was a “highly contested region, which is the theatre of a confrontation between the two major world powers” and stressed that France’s strategy “is to defend freedom and sovereignty.”
Macron is visiting Bangkok to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, where he is to give a speech as part of the relaunch of France’s Indo-Pacific policy.
France is crafting its own strategy for the region in which it has overseas territories including French Polynesia and New Caledonia.
The APEC summit follows the recent G20 summit, where US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed the easing of tensions between the two countries.
