Wishful thinking or a rebound? Three months after the Orcus Union announced that it had been beaten, in secret negotiations behind Paris, the French authorities and the navy group are brewing a secret hope: Australia will one day reverse its subcontract breach. -The French conventional navy is aware that the purchase of nuclear-powered ships as the core project of its recent alliance with the United States and the United Kingdom has proven to be too complicated to implement.
“Australians have shown us that nothing should be left out and are prepared to deal with anything about them”, An industrialist close to the case confided, even imagined “A new look”According to him, two parameters can be considered, which encourages the French to remain vigilant in this matter. On the one hand, the possible political change in Australia, namely the decision made by the current Prime Minister Scott Morrison in mid-September to undermine the partnership with France, is being questioned in his Liberal Party. His predecessor, Malcolm Turnbull, did not hesitate to criticize his choice, condemning the abandonment of the contract with the Navy Group and the blow to France. Australia will hold legislative elections next year, no later than June 2022. “If Scott Morrison can’t make a new task, the game may start again”, I want to believe this source.
Another subtle deadline: the 18-month deadline announced by the Orcus Alliance will end in May 2023 to review the construction of nuclear-powered submarines promised by its Anglo-Saxon allies to Australia. “For a non-nuclear country, this project is very complicated. In the United States, it is not just a question of replacing fuel every ten years. It is not ruled out that the case will fail at the end of this research phase.”, Our industrialist said. If we believe him, in this hypothesis, the French will of course imagine that the salvation may be the late “Contract of the Century” without speaking publicly. If possible, this time, an agreement with the United States will be reached. United.
Icy relationship
Unsurprisingly, the French leader remained silent on this issue. After US President Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron met on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Rome in early November, their anger towards Washington subsided. However, they did not miss an opportunity to emphasize the weakness of the Orcus Defense Agreement in response to the rapid rise of China and question Mr. Morrison. At the end of the G20, ask him if he thinks the Australian Prime Minister is “A liar”, Emanuel Macron cracked: “I don’t think so, I know.” French officials condemned that at the height of the crisis “duplicity” Their Australian allies did not warn Paris until Orcus announced this day.
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