“These are the facts and they speak for themselves,” Le Drian told an upper house foreign affairs, defense and armed forces committee, the Senate. He added that Australia’s decision to forgo a partnership with France for a pact with the United States meant that it had relinquished its defense sovereignty.
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Le Drian has repeatedly said that the Aukus agreement represents a “total loss of sovereignty” for Australia.
“It’s not just a breach of a contract, it’s a betrayal and a breach of trust,” he said.
“The effect is that Australia has given up sovereignty and taken a leap phone number library into the unknown with the choice of technology that it does not and will not control in the future. This puts him at the mercy of American politics.
Le Drian said France still did not know what role the UK would play in the project.
“The ball is in the British court. If they are to move forward, confidence must be restored.
Le Drian said France “expected strong action and not just words”. He said the French ambassador would return to Australia “when we have had a review”. The Ambassador to France is back in the United States this week. Both were recalled for consultations in France “to show the gravity of this betrayal and breach of trust”.
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