France scorned: Allies respond to submarine contract fallout

Two days after France recalled its ambassadors to the US and Australia — but not the UK — over their formation of a three-way defense pact that scrapped a French submarine deal, the three nations made overtures on Sunday to Paris in response to diplomatic fits of rage that were not always so diplomatic.

Gabriel Attal, the French government spokesman, said there would be a telephone conversation between US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron "in the coming days" at the request of the US president.

"We want explanations," Attal said, adding the US had to account for "what looks a lot like a major breach of trust."

Anglo-French aftermath

A meeting between British and French defense ministers Ben Wallace and Florence Parly scheduled for this coming week was put off Sunday, with the decision to drop the bilateral meeting allegedly on the urging of Parly herself, according to Reuters.

Meanwhile British Prime Minister Boris Johnson appealed to France to try and repair fractures in the relationship.

"Our love of France is ineradicable," he said.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian explained to France 2 television Saturday why France had not also recalled its ambassador to the UK in biting remarks.

"With Britain, there is no need. We know their constant opportunism. So there is no need to bring our ambassador back to explain," Le Drian said, before casting further shade.

"Britain in this whole thing is a bit like the third wheel," he added.

Both France and the UK, however, must continue to work together on defense matters for the sake of joint military operations in Mali and the Baltic states.

ar/rs (AFP, Reuters)