Australian PM Meets French President To Mend Ties After Submarine Row

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Friday in an effort to mend ties after tensions over a scrapped submarine deal last year.

Australia in 2021 cancelled a multi-billion dollar contract with a French firm to build 12 diesel-powered submarines, in favor of AUKUS, a new defense pact with the US and UK.

The action infuriated Macron, who accused then leader Scott Morrison of lying to him. He also briefly recalled France's ambassador in protest.

Albanese, who was elected in May, traveled to the French capital after attending the NATO summit in Madrid. Last month, he agreed to pay the French Naval Group €555 million ($584 million) in compensation over the cancelled contract.

"Australia's relationship with France matters. Trust, respect and honesty matters. That is how I will approach our relations," Albanese said in a tweet.

According to a joint statement by the Elysee Palace, Macron and Albanese met "to reaffirm their commitment to building a closer and stronger bilateral relationship based on mutual trust and respect."

To take the bilateral relationship forward, they agreed to establish a new agenda for cooperation based on three pillars: defense and security; resilience and climate action; and education and culture.

The leaders condemned Russia's war on Ukraine and its negative consequences such as the looming food crisis.

Australia will support the French-led FARM (Food and Agriculture Resilience Mission) initiative for food security in the most vulnerable countries, the statement said.

The two countries decided to "shape a new defence relationship and strengthen our collaboration and exchange on shared security interests," explore initiatives to increase defense industry cooperation, and enhance cooperation on countering terrorism and extremism.

"We are determined to be active in regional fora and to enhance security cooperation with Pacific countries, in particular on maritime surveillance with regional agencies, and in the Indian Ocean, including in partnership with India," the statement added. -