France-Australia relations have reached an “unprecedented new low” with the leak of a text message from French President Macron to Australian Prime Minister Morrison.
French ambassador to Australia, Jean-Pierre Thebault, said so in a speech to the Australian journalists’ organization National Press Club. According to him, it is unclear how things should proceed between the countries in areas such as mutual trust.
Australia and France have been at odds for a month and a half after Australia decided to cancel a €40 billion contract for French submarines in favor of a deal with the US on nuclear submarines.
Text from Macron
Yesterday, a text message from Macron surfaced in Australian media, which the French president sent to Morrison in September after he proposed a consultation on the submarines. That proposal came shortly before the announcement of the deal with America.
“Can I count on good or bad news when it comes to our shared ambitions regarding submarines?” Macron is said to have sent. It is not known what Morrison replied, but the prime minister is said to have used Macron’s message as evidence that France was anything but sure of the deal going through.
According to France, the cancellation of the order came out of nowhere. Macron previously accused the Australian Prime Minister of lying, including over a dinner in Paris over the summer. Morrison denied lying. According to him, he has always been clear that the French diesel submarines were probably not advanced enough for Australia.
‘Deception was deliberate’
French ambassador Thebault denounces the leaking of the message. According to him, it is a warning to all government leaders who do business with Australia. “Because there will be leaks and what you say in confidence to partners will eventually be used against you.”
He also maintains the position that Australia lied to France. “The deception was deliberate,” he said. “And maybe there is a difference between deceiving and lying. But if you deceive a government leader friend, you are lying to him.”
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