Leaked SMS New Flashpoint In France, Australia Submarine Deal Row
NDTV
Media in Australia and Europe reported on the SMS which the French leader sent to Morrison two days before Australia announced that it had torn up a decade-old multi-billion-dollar contract with France to build a new fleet of submarines.
France on Tuesday accused Australia of using "very inelegant methods" after a text message sent by President Emmanuel Macron to Australian leader Scott Morrison was leaked in an apparent bid to imply that he knew about the collapse of a major submarine deal earlier than he maintains.
Media in Australia and Europe reported on the SMS which the French leader sent to Morrison two days before Australia announced that it had torn up a decade-old multi-billion-dollar contract with France to build a new fleet of submarines.
France, which reacted furiously to the cancellation, has always said it had been blindsided by the announcement, and Macron added to the furore at the weekend by accusing of Morrison of lying to him.
But the revelation of the text message Tuesday can be seen as suggesting Macron was less surprised by the cancellation than he has admitted.
