Emmanuel Macron accuses Scott Morrison of lying to him about submarine contract
Barnaby Joyce has told Emmanuel Macron to “get over” the scrapped submarine deal, insisting Australia “didn’t deface the Eiffel Tower”.
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Acting Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has unceremoniously told Emmanuel Macron to “get over” his disappointment over a scrapped submarine deal, insisting Australia “didn’t deface the Eiffel Tower”.
In a major escalation of diplomatic tensions on Monday, the French President accused Scott Morrison of lying to him over the decision to jump ship and sign a nuclear submarine deal with the UK and US.
Mr Morrison strongly denies he lied to Mr Macron.
Asked about the diplomatic deep freeze, the acting prime minister told reporters he backed Mr Morrison’s account.
“There were stories that have been floating around the paper long before the cancellation of the submarine contract. And that’s a really important word – it was a contract,” Mr Joyce said.
“We didn’t steal an island. We didn’t deface the Eiffel Tower. It was a contract. And contracts have terms and conditions and one of those terms and conditions and propositions is that you might get out of the contract.
“I hope, that President Macron understands that ultimately, Australia and France have got so much more in common and so much into the future than a contract which is now in the past.
“And you know, understand the sentiment. I understand the views of the French people. And I’m certain that with time, like all things, we can get over this and move on.”
The French President accused Scott Morrison of lying to him in an extraordinary escalation of diplomatic tensions.
Mr Macron stopped to speak to Australian reporters at the G20 summit in Rome, and when asked if he could trust the Prime Minister again, he said: “We will see what he will deliver.”
“I have a lot of respect for your country, a lot of respect and friendship for your people. I just say when we have respect, you have to be true and you have to behave in line and consistent with this value,” Mr Macron said.
Asked directly whether Mr Morrison had lied, Mr Macron said: “I don’t think, I know.”
Mr Morrison immediately denied the claim, saying he did not “agree with that” and that it was “not true”.
He said he explained to Mr Macron “very clearly” during a private dinner in June in Paris that the conventional submarines Australia had ordered from France were “not going to meet Australia’s interests”.
Last month, Mr Morrison ripped up the massive contract and unveiled the AUKUS defence pact with US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, giving Australia access to America’s nuclear-powered submarine technology.
“The decision I have taken as Prime Minister … was in Australia’s national interest,” Mr Morrison said.
“I don’t resile from it for one second. These decisions are difficult. Of course it has caused disappointment and it has caused an impact on the relationship with France.”
Mr Macron said under the original contract, Australia would have been able to produce conventional submarines “with a clear and reliable time”.
“Now, you have 18 months before a report. Good luck,” he said.
He said he respected Australia’s history with France, and the need for Mr Morrison to make “sovereign choices”, but added: “You have to respect allies and partners, and this was not OK.”
“It’s now his decision to see how he will move,” Mr Macron said.
Mr Macron’s sensational comments are the latest headache for Mr Morrison over the AUKUS deal, after Mr Biden also appeared to criticise him in Rome, telling Mr Macron the new arrangement was not handled “with a lot of grace” before it was announced last month.
Mr Biden said it was “clumsy” and that he was “under the impression that France had been informed long before that the deal was not going through, honest to God”.
Mr Morrison rejected that claim too, saying his government had “worked closely” with the US and the UK and “kept them up to date … with where we were at in our various discussions with France”.
The Prime Minister has interacted several times with Mr Macron in Rome but did not ask for a bilateral meeting, having acknowledged that the relationship would take some time to repair.
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