French authorities on Thursday canceled the celebration of the anniversary of the decisive naval battle of the American War of Independence (US) in Washington, the French embassy confirmed after the conclusion of an agreement to protect the Indo-Pacific region.
France’s stance arose after it deemed the Washington-Canberra defense agreement “brutal” and made it “Trump-style”, regretting that the new deal would lead to the termination of a contract to supply French submarines to Australia.
The celebration of the anniversary of the decisive naval battle in the American Revolutionary War, which ended with the victory of the French fleet over the British on September 5, 1781, was set for Friday night at the residence of the French ambassador in Washington.
US President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday night a strategic partnership with Britain and Australia to supply nuclear submarines to Canberra, knocking the French out of sight.
The pact sparked unrest in Paris when French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian condemned the stab in the back.
However, Joe Biden will maintain high-level contacts with France to try to cheer up after the announcement of a three-country partnership that could jeopardize a defense contract between Paris and Canberra.
This was announced by White House spokesman Jen Psaki at a press conference, where she explained that France had been informed in advance of the pact published on Wednesday evening.
The US, Australia and the UK have announced an ambitious defense deal against China in the Indo-Pacific, which will include the development of nuclear submarines for Australia.
The agreement, dubbed AUKUS (short for three Anglo-Saxon countries), aims to strengthen trilateral cooperation on advanced defense technologies such as artificial intelligence, underwater systems and long-range surveillance.
The pact could lead to the cancellation of another agreement that Australia has already signed with France, which includes the construction of 12 submarines, according to the Australian daily Sydney Morning Herald.
Asked about canceling the anniversary of the decisive naval battle in the US Revolutionary War, Psaki stressed that the US government values relations with France in several areas, such as the economy, pandemic control and global defense.
“I will, of course, let our Australian partners explain why they were looking for this new technology in the United States,” Psaki said, noting that part of the problem is that Australia has promised to buy technology from France.
Psaki stressed that the US shares several priorities with France in the Indo-Pacific and will continue to do so.
“We do not see it as a regional entity, we see it as a defense and security area that we want to tackle together,” he said.
However, a defense pact signed by Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States will allow Washington to strengthen its military presence in Australia and establish logistics bases there, Australian Defense Secretary Peter Dutton said today.
“I want to be sure that we can increase the number of [de militares] on a rotational basis. Our air force will be strengthened, our maritime capabilities will be strengthened and our military position will certainly be strengthened as well, ”said Peter Dutton.
The US military already has a fickle presence in Darwin, in northern Australia, where about 2,500 Marines are dispatched annually to exercise on an alternating schedule.
