London: French President Emmanuel Macron has agreed to begin rebuilding a relationship with Australia based on “trust and respect” in his first phone call with new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday evening.
Macron, who wrote privately to congratulate Albanese after his election victory on Saturday evening, reminded his new counterpart of the “deep breach of trust” that had taken place in an ugly chapter of Franco-Australian relations. last year after the cancellation of a $ 90 billion submarine. contract.
Emmanuel Macron.Credit: Bloomberg
In a conversation that lasted more than 20 minutes, the couple agreed that the two nations needed to repair the link to jointly overcome global challenges, including the climate “emergency” and strategic challenges in the Indo-Pacific.
A new roadmap would be created to structure a new bilateral agenda, the couple agreed, with the aim of strengthening resilience in the region and contributing to peace and security amid a more assertive China.
Albanese said the conversation was “warm and constructive” in a post on social media on Thursday evening, with the couple discussing a free and open Indo-Pacific, greater cooperation on climate and energy policy and support for Ukraine.
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Macron’s comments show that nerves are still high between the two administrations following the controversial termination of the defense contract in favor of a new three-party security pact, which included access to nuclear submarines, between the United States. and Britain.
France has been outraged that the alliance was only reported hours before the public announcement was made, and later expressed outrage over Morrison’s decision to leak a Macron private text message after the announcement. cancellation of the contract.
The French president’s words follow those of outgoing French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, who beat Albanian predecessor Scott Morrison just hours after admitting defeat over the weekend. the former prime minister had handled the matter with “so much brutality and cynicism” and “unequivocal incompetence.”