Discussions will focus on “security in the Indo-Pacific region”, after the cancellation of an order for French submarines by Australia.
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will be in Paris from Monday October 4 to Wednesday October 6 for a meeting of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the State Department announced on Friday October 1. On this occasion, he “will also meet with his French counterparts to continue discussions on strengthening the vital relationship between the United States and France on a series of issues”, notably “security in the Indo-Pacific region”, said US diplomacy spokesman Ned Price.
This announcement directly refers to the diplomatic crisis caused by Australia’s choice to cancel a major contract for French submarines. One more step towards reconciliation between Paris and Washington? “We recognize that it will take time and a lot of work and will result in declarations, but also actions”, had declared Antony Blinken on September 23.
The day before, Presidents Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron had spoken by telephone. In a joint statement, the United States reaffirmed “that the engagement of France and the European Union in the Indo-Pacific region is of strategic importance”.