France and Australia agree submarines row will not halt trade deal

The deal sunk a 90 billion Australian dollar (£47 billion) contract for French majority state-owned Naval Group to build 12 conventional diesel-electric submarines for Australia

Mon, 20 Sep, 2021 - 07:34

Rod McGuirk, AP

French and Australian officials have said anger in Paris over a cancelled submarine contract will not derail negotiations on an Australia-European Union free trade deal.

France withdrew its ambassadors to the United States and Australia after US president Joe Biden revealed last week a new alliance including Australia and Britain that would deliver an Australian fleet of at least eight nuclear-powered submarines.