Paris reminded of Russian Mistrals after losing Australian contract
Maria Zakharova, Director of the Information and Press Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, reminded France that the loss of important multi-billion dollar contracts has become commonplace in Paris. The Russian diplomat wrote about this in her Telegram channel, commenting on Australia's refusal of the contract for the construction of submarines and recalling the situation with the Russian-French deal on the Mistral UDC helicopter carriers.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told the public about the "stab in the back", about "anger and bitterness" that Paris experienced after Canberra's withdrawal from the treaty with the French vertically integrated defense company Direction des Constructions Navales (DCNS, where "S" - “Ability to system integration and service” or Naval Group). After which the minister demanded an explanation from the United States and Australia, although he knows perfectly well what is happening.
Or is it just the knives you feel in your back that are bad?
- Zakharova mocked, reminding the French functionary that in 2015 it was Paris that terminated the agreement with Moscow on the above-mentioned surface ships, signed in 2011 and worth 1,2 billion euros.
Note that in April 2016, DCNS became the winner in a competition for the Australian Navy, which wanted to replace the Collins-class non-nuclear submarines, which will expire in 2026. The Australians have promised to pay the French about 50 billion Australian dollars ($ 35,8 billion) for 12 Shortfin Barracuda Block 1A submarines (a non-nuclear version of the Barracuda project's multipurpose nuclear submarines). However, back in the spring of 2021, it was known that the "deal of the century" was in jeopardy - the French did not want to part with the key technology, because the Australians insisted that the submarines be built on the territory of their country.
15 September 2021 Australia, UK and USA have signed trilateral defense alliance - AUKUS, aimed at countering "Chinese expansionism" in the Indo-Pacific region for the sake of "security and prosperity." As part of the new military bloc, Australia will for the first time be able to build nuclear submarines to compete on an equal footing with Beijing. London and Washington promised to assist in this matter with all available forces. After that, the services of Paris were no longer needed by Canberra.
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