French Ambassador: Australia Trust Loss Affect Strategic Partnership

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Following the AUKUS agreement, French Ambassador Olivier Chambard stated that the French loss of trust in Australia will certainly affect the strategic partnership between the two countries. The Ambassador revealed France's views on the situation at the French Embassy in Jakarta, September 13, 2021.

"The French Indo-pacific strategy is completely convergent with the Indo-pacific outlook of ASEAN," said the Ambassador. 

Chambard stated that France's view on the situation will be to maintain and develop the French Indo-Pacific Strategy and the European Indo-Pacific Strategy. "The French and European visions of Indo-Pacific are inclusive and open region, which give way of legitimate interests among equal partners," said Chambard. 

Chambard guaranteed that trust issues involving Australia will not result in France's hostile attitude. However, he did deplore that such conditions will restrict the two countries from having an optimal strategic partnership. "The problem is of trust and the big change it provokes in the geostrategic situations," said the Ambassador.

"The contract, we cannot put separately from the role strategic vision we had and the partnership we had with Australia," Chambard added.

According to Chambard, the French and European strategies intend to foster a network of partnerships focusing on respect towards the sovereignty of all involved countries with all of their different approaches and interests.

MAUDEY KHALISHA SETYAKUSUMA