A statement published after key discussions between Australian and French ministers two weeks before a major submarine deal was scrapped proves Scott Morrison lied to Emmanuel Macron, according to the French ambassador.
In an extraordinary speech on Thursday, ambassador Jean-Pierre Thebault accused Australia of stabbing France in the back for the way it failed to tell France it was dropping a deal to buy 12 submarines in favour of a partnership with the US and UK.
Mr Morrison denies lying to President Macron before the announcement and claims France should have realised the $90billion deal was on the rocks – but Mr Thebault said this was ‘fiction’ and used a telling example to prove that France was deceived.
He referred to a joint statement released on August 30 after a video conference between French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly and their Australian counterparts Marise Payne and Peter Dutton.
The statement said the ministers discussed the importance of the submarine deal – but at the same time Australian officials were planning to scrap the agreement and announce a new partnership with the US and UK.
An awkward handshake in Rome between Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison (right) and French President Emmanuel Macron (left) at the G20 summit this week
A joint statement (above) released on August 30 said Australia and France had discussed the importance of the submarine deal. Just two weeks later it was scrapped
‘What is a hard fact is that still on August 30, French and Australian ministers of foreign affairs and defence had a dialogue, and they agreed a joint communique,’ Mr Thebault said.
‘It was available to the public and widely acclaimed for its ambition. It agreed the following sentence, ”the two countries underline the importance of the Future Submarine program”.
The deceit was intentional… the way it was handled was plainly a stab in the back
Ambassador Jean-Pierre Thebault
‘Do you agree on such a communique when there’s the slightest doubt on something so massive as the official backbone of your co-operation? Maybe on Mars, but not that I know on this planet,’ he said.
Mr Thebault insisted his leader was ‘misled’ and this amounted to a lie among allies.
‘Was the president lied to? Yes, he was,’ he said.
‘Maybe there’s a difference between misleading and lying. But, you know, among heads of states and governments, when you mislead a friend and an aIly, you lie to him.’
In a bid to prove he did not lie to President Macron, Mr Morrison’s office earlier this week leaked a personal text between the leaders to show the French President knew the agreement was on shaky ground.
President Macron wrote: ‘Should I expect good or bad news for our joint submarines ambitions?’
A secret leaked text message (pictured) appears to show that Emmanuel Macron was given warning that Australia would torpedo its $90billion submarine deal with France
Quizzed by reporters in Dubai on Thursday – on his way back from the Glasgow climate summit – Mr Morrison did not deny leaking the text.
‘Claims had been made and those claims were refuted,’ he said.
Mr Morrison had conceded Mr Macron was not aware of negotiations with the US and the UK, but said the French leader was told as early as June that Australia was consulting on other options for submarines.
Mr Thebualt said France was ‘not at all’ aware that Australia was looking at other options.
In a savage speech at the National Press Club in Canberra on Thursday, Mr Thebault accused Australia of ‘treason’.
‘This decision was deliberately kept secret for months, even years,’ he said.
Mr Thebault said Australia never consulted France about the possibility of nuclear-powered subs and instead turned its back on its ally to announce a new AUKUS partnership.
‘The way this Australian Government decided to turn its back on our solemn and far reaching partnership without ever frankly consulting with France, when there were countless opportunities, without having shared frankly and openly, or having looked for alternatives with France, is just out of this world,’ he said.
Jean-Pierre Thebault (pictured today) accused the Australian Government of a ‘stab in the back’ and said Mr Morrison intended to deceive his country’s long-standing ally
Mr Thebault refuted concerns about cost blowouts and long delays in delivering the conventionally powered attack-class submarines.
‘The program was acceptable, affordable and compliant,’ he said, insisting the deal was still within its $50billion budget.
The ambassador, who was recalled to Paris in a highly unusual move after the deal was scrapped, explained why he thinks Mr Morrison did not tell President Emmanuel Macron in advance.
‘Probably the reason for which the Australian Government did not want to be explicit was frankly explained by the Prime Minister himself on 16 September,’ he said.
France’s Ambassador to Australia Jean-Pierre Thebault arrives at Sydney Airport before leaving the country on September 18
‘I quote, ”there was never ever any certainty at the long and painstaking AUKUS process would result in where we are now. And indeed, if we were unable to access this technology, then the attack class submarine is the best submarine that we have been able to utilise”.’
Mr Thebault explained: ‘Confronted with the high uncertainties which are not finished surrounding the likely closure of an alternative deal, it was a necessary to continue the possibility of continuing the future submarine program.
‘It was mandatory to keep us on the backburner. The deceit was intentional… the way it was handled was plainly a stab in the back.’
The ambassador explained that France was left furious because ‘the attack class program was always far more than a contract.’
He described the deal, which was signed in 2016 and involved sharing ‘one of most classified and sensitive defence programs’ as an ‘unprecedented act of trust’.
‘It was bringing our relationship with Australia to a level never reached before. Politically, and technologically. Fully complementing Australia’s and France’s historical alliance with the US,’ he said.
‘I do respect sovereign choices. But you have to respect allies and partners. And do I think what has happened is detrimental to the reputation of your country.’
Mr Morrison announced his decision to cancel French submarine contract in a joint press conference with the Boris Johnson and Joe Biden on September 16.
Mr Morrison wants US or UK-style nuclear-powered submarines, which are faster, stealthier and can stay at sea longer than conventional submarines, by 2040.
After Mr Macron accused Mr Morrison of lying to him on Monday, the Prime Minister hit back saying he would not cop ‘sledging.’