LONDON: British relations with France are solid stones, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday, when asked about the new defense with Australia and the United States who sank the existing French-Australian submarine agreement.
France reacted angrily to Wednesday’s news about the ‘aukus’ partnership which would help Australia obtain US nuclear-powered submarines and memo offer submarines designed by $ 40 billion.
But, asked in parliament about relations with France, Johnson played one line.
“Our relationship with France, our military relations with France …
is a solid stone,” he said.
“We stand shoulder-to-shoulders with France, both at Sahel, where we run a joint operation against terrorists in Mali, or whether in Estonia, where we currently have the largest NATO operation.” The defense agreement has also angered China, which said it would greatly damage the peace and stability of the region.
Johnson was asked by the leader of the Labor Labor Party Keer Starmer how he could ensure that the move did not worsen English relations with China.
Johnson replied: “I think it’s important for home to understand that the aukus is not intended to be hostile to other forces …
it only reflects the close relationship we have with the United States and with Australia.”