French Foreign Minister to attend UNGA meeting amid AUKUS submarine deal

On Wednesday, A spokesperson of Elysee (official residence of French President) said that France's plan for United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has not changed amid submarine deal between United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. She furr informed that as per plan, French foreign minister Jean-Yves le Drian will represent country at UNGA, reported CNN. Earlier, French government h claimed that Australia deceived it by pulling out of a multibillion-dollar defence pact and inste chose to procure nuclear-powered submarines from United States and United Kingdom through a new deal. On Friday, September 17, France slammed US, UK, and Australia for forming a new Indo-Pacific security alliance, accusing allies of a "stab in back." "AUKUS" collaboration was announced a day earlier by Washington, Canberra, and London, with Australia abandoning a $40 billion French-designed submarine deal with Paris for purchase of vanced US nuclear-powered submarines.

A CNN report stated that Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday, September 19, said that Canberra cancelled deal because conventional submarines it ordered from France would not have helped in achieving its strategic goals. It should be mentioned here that France h also recalled its ambassors from Canberra and Washington after Australia withdrew out of a multi-billion dollar deal to acquire French submarines. Meanwhile, France's European Union partners decided on Tuesday to put country's simmering conflict over AUKUS deal at top of bloc's political agenda, including at an EU summit which is scheduled next month, reported Associated Press (AP). 

EU calls for strengning its strategic autonomy

Maros Sefcovic, European Commission Vice-President, stated that chaotic US troop pullout from Afghanistan as well as surprise Australian security arrangement involving US are indicators that European Union's 27-nation bloc needs to "focus more on its strategic autonomy." Meanwhile, Clement Beaune, France's European Affairs Minister, said that he would push or EU countries to consider delaying bloc's tre talks with Australia, which have been ongoing since 2018, according to AP. Following catastrophe at Kabul airport with US pullout, Europeans see previously announced security pact as second time in weeks that President Joe Biden has focused on an "America First" policy, similar in substance to his predecessor Donald Trump. It is pertinent to mention here that on sidelines of UN General Assembly, EU Council President Charles Michel and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met with Australian Prime Minister on Tuesday, reported AP.

Image: AP