France says Australia defence ties repaired after submarine row
Paris expressed its "strong regrets" when Australia tore up a multibillion-dollar deal to buy a fleet of diesel-powered submarines from France, Ambassador Pierre-Andre Imbert said.
Since the 2022 election of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, however, the defence relationship had been "restarted", he said.
"Now, the first pillar of our cooperation is defence and security, so we have a very good level of cooperation," the ambassador told AFP as French forces joined major military drills around Australia.
When Australia ditched the French deal, it opted instead to acquire nuclear-powered vessels in a new three-way AUKUS pact with the United States and Britain.
But a US defence official last month revealed that a review of AUKUS was underway to ensure it "aligned with the President's America First agenda" and that the US defence industrial base was "meeting our needs".
Under the AUKUS deal, Australia would acquire at least three Virginia-class submarines from the US within 15 years, eventually manufacturing its own subs.
The US Navy has 24 Virginia-class vessels but American shipyards are struggling to meet production targets set at two new boats each year.
Asked if France would ever consider discussing a new submarine deal with Australia if the AUKUS agreement was torpedoed by the review, the French ambassador said he was reluctant to speculate.
"I would say it's more an issue for Australia for the moment. And of course, we are always discussing with our friends of Australia," he said.
"But for the moment, they have chosen AUKUS," he said. "If this changes (and) they ask, we'll see."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
9 hours ago
- CNA
Australia lifts foreign student cap to 295,000 and prioritises Southeast Asia
SYDNEY: Australia will raise its cap on foreign students by 9 per cent to 295,000 next year and prioritise applicants from Southeast Asia, the government said on Monday (Aug 4). Limits on places were announced last year as a way to rein in record migration that had contributed to a surge in housing prices, with 270,000 places made available for 2025. An additional 25,000 places were being granted in 2026 as the policy was successfully bringing down "out of control" international student numbers, the government said. "This is about making sure international education grows in a way that supports students, universities and the national interest," Education Minister Jason Clare said in a statement. Australia granted nearly 600,000 student visas in the 2023 financial year, as international students returned to the country in record numbers following the COVID-19 pandemic. Australia's largest cohorts of students come from China and India. As well as introducing the cap on numbers, the government also more than doubled the visa fee for foreign students in 2024 and pledged to close loopholes in rules that allowed them to continuously extend their stays. The government's measures to curb migration were "bearing fruit" and allowed for a modest increase in the cap in 2026, International Education Assistant Minister Julian Hill said. "The numbers were growing out of control," Hill told national broadcaster ABC. "The government has taken tough decisions over the last 12 months, not always loved by the sector, to get the numbers down and get them to a more sustainable footing." Roughly two-thirds of places will be allocated to universities and one-third to the vocational skills training sector. Larger public universities would need to demonstrate that domestic and international students had "access to safe and secure housing" and recruit more students from Southeast Asia to increase their individual allocations, the government said. It was important "for Australia's future soft power that we continue to bring the best and brightest from our (Southeast Asian) neighbours to have a bit of Australia with them for the rest of their life", Hill said. Relations with Southeast Asia have been a focus of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's Labor government as it looks to reduce Australia's economic dependence on China. Universities Australia welcomed the "sensible" increase in places. "Universities have called for growth in this critically important sector, and the government has honoured this," CEO Luke Sheehy said.
CNA
11 hours ago
- CNA
Eutelsat beats earnings estimates on Ukraine boost, government demand
French satellite operator Eutelsat reported better-than-expected annual earnings on Tuesday, driven by growing interest in its satellite internet services from government and corporate customers. Eutelsat gained the spotlight this year as European governments sought home-grown solutions for satellite services, aiming to reduce their reliance on U.S. providers. Revenues from video, connectivity and government services reached 1.23 billion euros ($1.43 billion) in the year ended June 30, up 0.8 per cent from a year earlier. Financial analysts had expected those revenues to total 1.21 billion euros, according to a consensus poll provided by Eutelsat. The Paris-based group hopes to offset declining income from its video business by gaining a foothold in the satellite internet market, where SpaceX's Starlink dominates. Eutelsat said revenues from its low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites rose 84.1 per cent yearly to 187 million euros. Higher revenues for government services reflected services delivered in Ukraine and increased demand from other non-U.S. governments, the company said. The German government has been paying for Ukraine's access to Eutelsat's network for about a year. Eutelsat expects LEO revenues to grow by 50 per cent next year, saying it will compensate, but not yet outweigh the decline in its legacy business, which are impacted by additional Russian sanctions. However, the operator said it took a 1.1 billion euro loss through the year, partly due to impairments from its geostationary (GEO) assets. In addition to its 34 GEO satellites - mostly used for broadcasting and fixed satellite internet - Eutelsat owns a constellation of over 600 in low Earth orbit, managed by its London-based subsidiary OneWeb, which was acquired in 2023. The company is undergoing a radical shake-up following the appointment of a new CEO and a chairman as well as new injections of capital led by the French state alongside Britain and other anchor shareholders for 1.5 billion euros. ($1 = 0.8643 euros)
CNA
12 hours ago
- CNA
Australia warns against foreign interference after Chinese woman charged over monitoring Buddhist group
SYDNEY: Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Tuesday (Aug 6) that Australia would not tolerate surveillance of its community by foreign governments, after a Chinese woman was charged with foreign interference and denied bail by a court. The woman, who has not entered a plea, appeared in court in Australia's capital Canberra on Monday after police charged her with "reckless foreign interference" for allegedly monitoring a Buddhist group in the city on behalf of a Chinese security agency. The court heard the woman's husband was a vice captain in a public security ministry in a Chinese province, and she had visited the Chinese consulate in Canberra in the days after her property was raided by police, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. In a series of television interviews on Tuesday, Wong said she couldn't comment on an individual case, but added Australia was taking a stand against foreign interference. "We do not tolerate harassment, intimidation, surveillance of Australians and we have a strong framework to deter foreign interference in our democracy," she said in an ABC radio interview. It is the third time charges have been brought under foreign interference laws introduced in Australia in 2018, and the first time a Chinese national has been charged under the legislation. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement the ministry "was not aware of the specifics of the case" but would closely follow developments and "safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of its citizens". "China has never interfered in the internal affairs of other countries, and firmly opposes any attempts to disrupt normal people-to-people exchanges and cooperation between China and relevant countries under the pretext of 'foreign interference'," the spokesperson added. A court suppression order has prevented media from reporting the woman's name. The woman, who is also a permanent resident of Australia, faces a maximum sentence of 15 years' jail if she is convicted, according to Australian Federal Police. Police alleged the woman was tasked by a public security bureau of China to covertly gather information about the Canberra branch of Guan Yin Citta, a Buddhist group.
