PARIS: France will send its ambassador back to Washington next week after French President Emmanuel Macron and President Joe Biden agreed in a phone call Wednesday to meet next month over a submarine dispute.
The two heads of state 鈥渉ave decided to open a process of in-depth consultations, aimed at creating the conditions for ensuring confidence,鈥� the Elysee and the White House said in a joint statement. Macron and Biden will meet at the end of October in Europe, the statement said.
In an unprecedented move, France recalled its ambassador after the US, Australia and Britain announced a new Indo-Pacific defense deal last week. As part of the pact, Australia will cancel a multibillion-dollar contract to buy diesel-electric French submarines and acquire US nuclear-powered vessels instead.
The French ambassador will 鈥渉ave intensive work with senior US officials鈥� after his return to the United States, the statement said.
Biden and Macron agreed 鈥渢hat the situation would have benefitted from open consultations among allies on matters of strategic interest to France and our European partners,鈥� it said. Biden 鈥渃onveyed his ongoing commitment in that regard.鈥�
Biden reaffirmed in the statement 鈥渢he strategic importance of French and European engagement in the Indo-Pacific region.鈥�
The European Union unveiled last week a new strategy for boosting economic, political and defense ties in the vast area stretching from India and China through Japan to Southeast Asia and eastward past New Zealand to the Pacific.
The United States also 鈥渞ecognizes the importance of a stronger and more capable European defense, that contributes positively to transatlantic and global security and is complementary to NATO,鈥� the statement said.
Earlier Wednesday, Macron鈥檚 office said the French president was expecting 鈥渃larifications and clear commitments鈥� from Biden, who had requested the call.
French officials described as a 鈥渃risis of trust鈥� last week鈥檚 announcement of the Indo-Pacific deal, with Macron being formally informed only a few hours beforehand.
Paris is calling for 鈥渁cts, not words only,鈥� Macron鈥檚 office said.
France鈥檚 European Union partners agreed Tuesday to put the dispute at the top of the bloc鈥檚 political agenda, including at an EU summit next month.
The French presidency categorically denied a report by Britain鈥檚 Daily Telegraph newspaper published on Wednesday saying Macron could offer the country鈥檚 permanent seat on the UN Security Council to the European Union if the bloc backs his plans on EU defense.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson dismissed French anger over the submarine deal, saying French officials should 鈥済et a grip.鈥� Using both French and English words, he added they should give him a 鈥渂reak.鈥�
Speaking to reporters on a visit to Washington, Johnson said the deal was 鈥渇undamentally a great step forward for global security. It鈥檚 three very like-minded allies standing shoulder-to-shoulder, creating a new partnership for the sharing of technology.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 not exclusive. It鈥檚 not trying to shoulder anybody out. It鈥檚 not adversarial toward China, for instance.鈥�
The deal has widely been seen as part of American efforts to counter a more assertive China in the Indo-Pacific region.