Blinken calls France vital partner in Indo-Pacific in apparent bid to calm French fury

Blinken calls France vital partner in Indo-Pacific in apparent bid to calm French fury
# 17 September 2021 03:34 (UTC +04:00)

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday said France was a "vital partner" in the Indo-Pacific region and that Washington would continue to cooperate with Paris, comments that appeared aimed at calming French anger after the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom clinched a historic defense export contract to supply Australia with submarines.

The three countries announced on Wednesday they would establish a security partnership for the Indo-Pacific that will help Australia acquire U.S. nuclear-powered submarines and scrap the $40 billion French-designed submarine deal.

France has reacted angrily to the loss of the deal, calling it a "stab in the back."

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