Macron Holds 1st Call with Australian PM Since Submarine Crisis

French President Emmanuel Macron had a phone call, on Thursday, with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, according to the Élysée Palace.

Macron affirmed that Australia’s unilateral decision to scale back the French-Australian strategic partnership broke the relationship of trust between the two countries, according to a statement issued by the Élysée Palace.

He blamed Australia for putting an end to the ocean-class submarine programme in favour of another as-yet-unspecified project.

"The situation of the French businesses and their subcontractors, including Australian companies, affected by this decision will be given our utmost attention," the statement read.

In this manner, the President asserted that it is up to the Australian Government to propose tangible actions that embody the political will of Australia’s highest authorities to redefine the basis of the bilateral relationship and continue joint action in the Indo-Pacific.

During the call, which came ahead of a UN climate change summit, Macron urged Morrison to adopt ambitious measures commensurate with the climate challenge and commit to halting coal mining and the use of coal for power production.

On the other hand, the Prime Minister's Office said Morrison was pleased to be able to speak with the French President after writing him a letter earlier this month.

"They had a candid discussion on the bilateral relationship," it said. "The Prime Minister looks forward to future collaborations on our shared interests, particularly in the Indo-Pacific."

The prime minister "also took the opportunity to inform the President about Australia's commitment to delivering net zero emissions by 2050."