Biden meets French Macron, calls US “clumsy” in submarine deal

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US President Joe Biden meets with French President Emmanuel Macron ahead of the G20 summit in Rome, Italy on October 29, 2021. REUTERS / Kevin Lamarque

ROME, October 29 (Reuters) – President Joe Biden on Friday called the actions of the US government “awkward” when he met French President Emmanuel Macron for the first time since a diplomatic crisis erupted last month over an American security pact with Great Britain and Australia.

Biden took advantage of the G20 summit meeting in Rome, Italy, to try to turn the page on a relationship damaged by the US-Australian security alliance, known as AUKUS, which also includes the United Kingdom. The pact effectively canceled a 2016 agreement on Franco-Australian submarines.

The US decision to secretly negotiate a new deal sparked outrage in Paris. France has temporarily recalled its ambassador from Washington, canceled a gala in the US capital, and officials accused Biden of acting like former President Donald Trump.

“I think what happened, to use an English expression, what we did was awkward. It wasn’t done very gracefully,” Biden said. “I felt like some things had happened that hadn’t happened. And – but I want to be clear: France is an extremely, extremely valued – extremely – and a power in itself.”

Biden also said that the United States does not have an older and more loyal ally than France and that there is nowhere in the world where the United States cannot cooperate with France.

“I was under the impression that France was informed long before the deal was not done. Honestly, I didn’t know you weren’t,” Biden told Macron.

Macron said his meeting with Biden was “important” and that it was essential to “look to the future” as his country and the United States work to mend barriers.

“What really matters now is what we will do together in the weeks to come, the months to come, the years to come,” Macron said.

Since the breakup erupted, Washington has taken several steps to mend the relationship.

Biden and Macron spoke to each other last week. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also visited Paris, where he acknowledged that the United States could have “communicated better”. Vice President Kamala Harris has also announced that she will travel to Paris in November and meet with Macron.

Biden and Macron met at Villa Bonaparte, the French embassy in the Vatican, which a French diplomat said was an important mark of Biden’s goodwill.

“This is an important gesture,” said the French diplomat, adding that the United States acknowledged that it had underestimated the impact of its actions.

France now wants to see if Biden follows his words with action. “Confidence is being rebuilt. It is a step. Signs of goodwill have been given, we will see if they materialize in the long term,” said the diplomat.

Reporting by Jeff Mason and Michel Rose in Rome, written by Nandita Bose and Patricia Zengerle in Washington, editing by Franklin Paul, Heather Timmons, David Gregorio and Marguerita Choy

Our Standards: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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