Macron and Biden agree to ‘deep consultations’ in submarine dispute

NSSigns of tension between Washington and Paris: After the serious dispute in the submarine dispute, the American president wants Joe Biden French President Emmanuel Macron meet for a face-to-face meeting in October. During a phone call on Wednesday, they agreed to meet in Europe at the end of October, according to a joint statement later released by the two governments. Macron also decided that the French ambassador would return to Washington next week.

A few days ago, without consulting its allies, the United States announced a new security agreement with Australia and Great Britain in the Indo-Pacific, which led to a deep diplomatic crisis with France. The deal destroyed a multi-billion dollar submarine deal between Australia and France, which led to angry reactions in Paris. Macron He temporarily withdrew ambassadors from the United States and Australia – a highly unusual measure among allies. The French said on Wednesday that no decision had been made yet on recalling the French ambassador to Canberra.

Intensive consultation process

Minister of Foreign Affairs of France Jean-Yves Le Drian He complained in the controversy with unusually sharp words about the progress of the partners. He called the decision, among other things, “brutal” and compared Biden’s approach to that of former US President Donald Trump.

Biden finally asked Macron to call him to settle differences. The French president, in turn, had announced shortly before what exactly he expected from the conversation.

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The joint statement was based largely on this previously widespread – and sometimes exhausting – choice of words from Elysee circles. The statement accompanying the phone call said, among other things, that the two presidents agreed that the situation “benefited” from “open consultations among allies” on issues of strategic importance to France and European partners. The presidents agreed to start a process of intensive consultations in order to create conditions, ensure confidence, and propose concrete steps to achieve common goals. The aim of the meeting is to “achive a common understanding and maintain momentum in the process”.