VP Kamala Harris visits France after tensions over submarine deal
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Washington: US Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron on the second day of her four day trip to France. The meeting comes after tensions were sparked between the two countries last September due to France losing a submarine deal worth millions to the USA.
On September 17, a diplomatic row erupted between France, America and Australia after Australia walked out of a 56 billion euro nuclear submarine deal with France and entered into an agreement with the US for the same. The tensions escalated after French Foreign Minister Jean Yves Le Drian termed the move a 'stab in the back' and France even went to the extent of recalling its ambassadors from the US and Australia.
VP Harris is expected to bring up the 'AUKUS' submarine issue at the meeting and has said that she is looking forward to "many many days of productive discussions". President Joe Biden had also attempted to make amends in October by dispatching Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to smooth the waters with France and also admitting that the way the US handled the deal was 'clumsy'.
Harris and Macron are also expected to discuss France's battle with jihadists in the Sahel, as well as European military and defence discussions. She will also attend a peace meeting of world leaders tomorrow.
The newly forged AUKUS defence partnership between Australia, the UK and the US will involve collaboration not just on nuclear submarines, but also exchange of technology and information. The partnership has been hailed as a US move to counter increasing Chinese belligerence in the Indo-Pacific region, by empowering its ally Australia and increasing its presence in the region.