The French foreign minister said this
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2025 9:09 am
With no sign of imminent easing of tensions between the two countries, Jean-Yves Le Drian told a parliamentary hearing that Australia had never expressed doubts about the $ 56 billion submarine contract. euros (AU $ 90 billion) or the Indo-Pacific Strategic Pact before breaking the Contract.
“Everything I have told you is confirmed by the letter I received on September 15 from the Australian Ministry of Defense saying that everything was fine, let’s continue,” Le Drian said.
suggested that “someone lied”. He added: “Something is wrong and we don’t know what.”
Le Drian reiterated that the French contractor Naval Group had phone number library received a letter on the same day of the breach of the contract saying that Australia was “satisfied” with the strategic review of the submarines and was ready for the “swift signing of the second phase of the program “.
As a result, the decision to break the contract of several billion submarines was greeted with “astonishment” in France, he said.
The letter in question has not been made public. The Guardian has contacted the Australian government for comment, but previously downplayed the letter’s importance.
Last week, a spokesperson for the Australian Department of Defense told the Guardian: “On September 15, 2021, Naval Group was informed that the official release of a system review had been completed in accordance with contractual provisions in effect at the time. “
“Everything I have told you is confirmed by the letter I received on September 15 from the Australian Ministry of Defense saying that everything was fine, let’s continue,” Le Drian said.
suggested that “someone lied”. He added: “Something is wrong and we don’t know what.”
Le Drian reiterated that the French contractor Naval Group had phone number library received a letter on the same day of the breach of the contract saying that Australia was “satisfied” with the strategic review of the submarines and was ready for the “swift signing of the second phase of the program “.
As a result, the decision to break the contract of several billion submarines was greeted with “astonishment” in France, he said.
The letter in question has not been made public. The Guardian has contacted the Australian government for comment, but previously downplayed the letter’s importance.
Last week, a spokesperson for the Australian Department of Defense told the Guardian: “On September 15, 2021, Naval Group was informed that the official release of a system review had been completed in accordance with contractual provisions in effect at the time. “