Updated September 24th, 2021 at 11:56 IST

Blinken 'committed' to restoring ties with France

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday he's "committed to working closely" with his French counterpart to get U.S.-France relations back on track after a submarine deal with Australia sent relations between the longtime allies into a tailspin.

IMAGE: AP | Image:self
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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday he's "committed to working closely" with his French counterpart to get U.S.-France relations back on track after a submarine deal with Australia sent relations between the longtime allies into a tailspin.

Blinken made the comments on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly after meeting with After meeting Thursday with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

In his own news conference, Le Drian pointedly referred to the situation as a "crisis" that will take time and U.S. action to overcome.

Blinken said the Biden administration recognizes that restoring relations "will take time and hard work and will be demonstrated not only in words, but in deeds."

But he said the U.S. and France have already embarked on a "process of in-depth consultations on a series of issues moving forward to, in very practical ways, deepen the cooperation and coordination between our countries."

The secretary of state said that cooperation is "in many ways already remarkably strong, but we can do more and we can do better."

He pointed to anti-terror efforts in Africa as an area in which U.S.-French coordination is thriving, saying that France, just a few days ago "killed a senior terrorist leader who threatened" both nations.

In an unprecedented move, France recalled its ambassador to the United States after the U.S., Australia and Britain announced a new Indo-Pacific defense deal last week.

As part of the pact, Australia will cancel a multimillion-dollar contract to buy diesel-electric French submarines and acquire U.S. nuclear-powered vessels instead.

The Biden administration has acknowledged better communication and consultation could have diffused tensions but it has stopped short topped of apologizing for excluding France from the arrangement.

IMAGE: AP

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Published September 24th, 2021 at 11:56 IST