France’s war of words with Australia over a scrapped A$90 billion ($67 billion) submarine deal is showing no sign of abating nearly two months later, with the ambassador saying Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s government was guilty of a "stab in the back.”
"The deceit was intentional,” Jean-Pierre Thebault told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday. "These are not things which are done between partners, even less between friends. Especially in view of the strong historical ties that exist between our people and our strong political, strategic common interests for our citizens in this region.”
The ambassador’s comments come after Morrison denied French leader Emmanuel Macron’s accusation that he lied about the submarine deal, while saying he would defend his nation from "slurs.” Thebault was recalled for about three weeks after the Indo-Pacific partnership with the U.S. and the U.K. was announced in September.