LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday understates diplomatic diplomatic with Paris for a new security pact with Australia and the US, saying “this French love cannot be enjoyed”.
Speaking to reporters as he flew to New York, Johnson insisted on England and France had a “very friendly relationship”, which he described as “very important”.
The security agreement, and Australian related decisions to knock down the multibillion dollar agreement for French submarines that support American nuclear-powered vessels have sparked anger in Paris, with President Emmanuel Macron considering the French Ambassador to Canberra and Washington in unprecedented steps.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said during the weekend that Britain was “third wheels” in infidelity, and accused London “constant opportunism”.
France has canceled the meeting set for this week between Defense Minister Florence Parly and his British colleague Ben Wallace, a source at his ministry to AFP Sunday.
But on the Johnson plane underestimated France’s concern.
He said the pact, nicknamed the aukus, “not in any way intended to be zero-sum, it is not intended to be exclusive”.
“It’s not something that needs to be worried about anyone and especially not our French friends,” he said.