The decision angered Paris, which called the deal a "stab in the back" by the US and Australia. In fact, soon after the Aukus agreement was announced, France recalled its ambassadors from both Canberra and Washington. The ambassador to Washington will now return to his post, but it is not clear if the ambassador to Canberra will do the same. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has previously questioned whether the EU would be able to strike a trade deal with Australia, in solidarity with France.
lørdag 2. oktober 2021
Aukus: Australia-EU trade talks delayed as row deepens
Trade talks between Australia and the European Union have been postponed as a row with France over the so-called Aukus security partnership deepens. Last month, Canberra cancelled a $37bn ($27.5bn) deal with France to build a fleet of conventional submarines. Instead, it will build at least eight nuclear-powered submarines with US and UK technology.
The decision angered Paris, which called the deal a "stab in the back" by the US and Australia. In fact, soon after the Aukus agreement was announced, France recalled its ambassadors from both Canberra and Washington. The ambassador to Washington will now return to his post, but it is not clear if the ambassador to Canberra will do the same. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has previously questioned whether the EU would be able to strike a trade deal with Australia, in solidarity with France.
The decision angered Paris, which called the deal a "stab in the back" by the US and Australia. In fact, soon after the Aukus agreement was announced, France recalled its ambassadors from both Canberra and Washington. The ambassador to Washington will now return to his post, but it is not clear if the ambassador to Canberra will do the same. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has previously questioned whether the EU would be able to strike a trade deal with Australia, in solidarity with France.
