According to the French ambassador, Scott Morrison lied about Emmanuel Macron in a statement he made after key discussions between Australian ministers and French ministers just two weeks before a major submarine deal was canceled.
Jean-Pierre Thebault, ambassador of Australia, accused France of shaming it for failing to inform France that it was ending a deal to buy 12 submarines. He made the extraordinary accusation in a speech on Thursday. Partnership with the UK and USA
Morrison claims that he did not lie to President Macron and that France should have known the $90billion deal was in place. However, Mr Thebault claimed this was ‘fiction’ and gave a compelling example to prove that France was deceived.
He spoke of a joint statement that was released on August 30, following a video conference between Jean-Yves Le Drian, French Foreign Minister, and Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly, and their Australian counterparts Marise Parly and Peter Dutton.
According to the statement, ministers discussed submarine deals’ importance. However, Australian officials planned to scrap the agreement and announce new partnerships with the US and UK.
An awkward handshake in Rome between Scott Morrison, Australian Prime Minister, (right), and Emmanuel Macron (left), at the G20 summit this Week
A joint statement (above) released on August 30 said Australia and France had discussed the importance of the submarine deal. It was scrapped just two weeks later.
‘What is a hard fact is that still on August 30, French and Australian ministers of foreign affairs and defence had a dialogue, and they agreed a joint communique,’ Mr Thebault said.
It was open to the public, and widely praised for it’s ambition. It agreed to the following sentence: “The two countries underline the significance of the Future Submarine Program”.
The deceit was deliberate… the way it was handled was clearly a stab in your back
Jean-Pierre Thebault, Ambassador
“Do you agree to such a communication when there’s even the slightest doubt about something as massive and important as the official backbone for your cooperation?” He said, “Maybe on Mars, but not on the planet I know.”
Mr. Thebault claimed that his leader was’misled’, which was a lie among his allies.
“Was the president lying to you?” He said, “Yes, he was.”
“Maybe there’s an important distinction between misleading and lying. But you know that among heads and governments, it is a crime to mislead a friend or an aIly.
To prove that he didn’t lie to President Macron, Morrison’s office leaked an intimate text between the leaders earlier this week. to show that the French President knew the agreement was on unstable ground.
President Macron wrote, “Should i expect good or poor news for our joint subs ambitions?”
A leaked text message (pictured), appears to show that Emmanuel Macron received a warning from Australia that it would torpedo France’s $90billion submarine contract with France
Questioned by reporters in Dubai, Mr Morrison denied leaking the text.
He stated that ‘Claims had already been made and those claims were denied’.
Morrison acknowledged that Mr Macron was not aware about negotiations with the US and UK, but stated that the French leader had been told as early June that Australia was considering other options for submarines.
Mr Thebualt said France wasn’t aware that Australia was looking into other options.
On Thursday, Mr Thebault made a brutal speech at Canberra’s National Press Club accusing Australia of ‘treason’.
He said that the decision was kept secret for months or even years.
Mr Thebault claimed that Australia never consulted France over the possibility of nuclear powered subs but instead turned its back on its ally in order to announce a new AUKUS alliance.
‘The way this Australian Government decided to turn its back on our solemn and far reaching partnership without ever frankly consulting with France, when there were countless opportunities, without having shared frankly and openly, or having looked for alternatives with France, is just out of this world,’ he said.
Jean-Pierre Thebault (pictured here) accused the Australian Government today of a stab in the back and claimed that Mr Morrison was attempting to deceive his long-standing ally
Mr Thebault refuted concerns about cost blowouts and long delays in delivering the conventionally powered attack-class submarines.
He said that the program was acceptable and affordable, and that it was compliant. However, he insisted that the deal was still within its budget of $50 billion.
After the deal was scrapped and the ambassador was recalled to Paris, the ambassador explained why he believes Mr Morrison didn’t tell President Emmanuel Macron beforehand.
He stated that the Prime Minister explained on 16 September the likely reason why the Australian Government didn’t want to be explicit.
Jean-Pierre Thebault, France’s Ambassador in Australia, arrives at Sydney Airport. He will leave the country on September 18th.
I quote, “”There was never any certainty at all at the long and painful AUKUS process would ultimately lead to where it is now. If we couldn’t access this technology, the attack class submarine would be the best submarine we have ever been able ”.’ to use.
Mr Thebault stated that, ‘Confronted by the high uncertainties that surround the likely closing of an alternate deal, it was necessary for us to continue the possibility of the future submarine programme.
It was mandatory to keep them on the backburner. The deceit was deliberate… the way it was handled, was clearly a stab in our back.
France was furious at the ambassador’s explanation that the “attack class program” was more than a contract.
He described the deal, which was signed in 2016 and involved sharing ‘one of most classified and sensitive defence programs’ as an ‘unprecedented act of trust’.
It was bringing our relationship to Australia to a level not seen before. Both technologically and politically. He stated that Australia and France are fully complementing their historical alliance with the US.
‘I do respect sovereign choices. But you have to respect allies. Do I think that what has happened is harmful to your country’s reputation?
In a press conference on September 16, Morrison, Joe Biden and the Boris Johnson announced their decision to cancel the French submarine contract.
Mr Morrison would like to see US- or UK-style nuclear submarines that are faster, more stealthy, and can stay at sea for longer periods than conventional submarines by 2040.
After Mr Macron accused Mr Morrison, the Prime Minster retorted by saying that he wouldn’t be convicted of’sledging.