Less than three months after the agreement reached between the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom (referred to as the Aukus alliance) torpedoing a mega-contract of French submarines to the Australian Navy, the issuance of An authorization for the sale of frigates to Greece by the United States demanded a firm response. On Saturday 11 December, the day after the announcement of the Biden administration, the French military ministry said that “The contract with the Greeks (…) [avait] initialed a few days ago “, rendering null and void the competing offer presented by the United States.
“The government’s decision is made (…). The contracts will very soon be handed over to the competent bodies of Parliament for a vote ”, confirmed the Greek Ministry of Defense in a statement.
According to the Franco-Greek agreement of some 3 billion euros, announced with great fanfare on September 28 in Paris, three defense and intervention frigates (called Belharra for export) are to be built in France by Naval Group, in Lorient (west), to be delivered to the Greek navy in 2025 and 2026. In addition to the ships, it includes the supply by the manufacturer of missiles MBDA of their armaments (Aster anti-aircraft missiles, Exocet anti-ship and torpedoes) and of the services of support over three years.
Washington proposed for its part the sale to Athens of four combat frigates and their equipment, worth 6.9 billion dollars (6.1 billion euros approximately), as well as the modernization of the Greek frigates of the class. MEKO, for an amount estimated at $ 2.5 billion.
Unprecedented diplomatic crisis
These exchanges come a few weeks after an unprecedented diplomatic crisis between Washington and Paris. In September, the United States announced a security partnership in the Indo-Pacific zone with Australia and the United Kingdom, including the delivery of nuclear-powered submarines to Canberra. Australia had therefore broken a gigantic contract signed with France for the delivery of conventional submarines, angering Paris.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian denounced a “Blow in the back”, comparing the method of Mr. Biden “What was doing” his predecessor, Donald Trump – an affront to the Democratic president, anxious to distance himself from the Republican billionaire.
France had recalled its ambassadors to the United States and Australia, and Mr. Biden admitted that the United States could have communicated better with its long-time ally. At the end of October, in Rome, Biden tried to turn the page on Australian submarines during a reconciliation meeting with the French president. The two heads of state had announced their intention to launch “A strategic dialogue on military trade”, in particular on export authorizations.
