Details of the AUKUS partnership (Australia, the UK and the US) were discussed at the June G7 summit in Cornwall, but French President Emmanuel Macron was unaware of that, The Sunday Telegraph report says.
According to the report, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab assisted in the preparation of the agreement despite the warnings that such agreement will harm the relations with Beijing and Paris.
The Summit that took place on June 11-13 was attended by leaders of the UK, Germany, Italy, Canada, the US, France and Japan, as well as leaders of Australia, India, South Korea and South Africa invited as guests. According to The Sunday Telegraph, all documents on AUKUS after the summit were classified as “top secret”.
On September 16, Australia, the UK and the US announced the new AUKUS security partnership. Under the agreement, Australia plans to construct eight nuclear-powered submarines and equip its forces with US-made cruise missiles; the made Canberra void its defense contract with France – the largest in its history.
In response to this development, France immediately withdrew its ambassadors from the US and Australia but not from the UK. According to French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves le Drian, Paris made this decision, “knowing London’s policy of constant opportunism.”.
