Aukus fallout: VP Kamala Harris arrives in Paris amid France-US tensions

During her visit, Harris will meet Macron, attend a peace forum, participate in a multilateral conference on Libya and take part in commemorations for the anniversary of the end of WWI

Her trip comes after a row erupted in September when Australia walked out of a submarines deal with France in favour of an alternative one with the US

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US Vice-President Kamala Harris. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 9:09pm, 9 Nov 2021Updated: 9:09pm, 9 Nov 2021

US Vice-President Kamala Harris on Tuesday touched down in Paris on a mission to further mend relations with France after a crisis brought on by a cancelled submarines contract.

During her five-day visit, Harris will meet French President Emmanuel Macron, attend a peace forum with other world leaders, participate in a multilateral conference on Libya and take part in commemorations for the anniversary of the end of WWI.

“It is good to be in France,” she told reporters after she disembarked at Paris Orly Airport. “I am looking forward to many, many days of productive discussions reinforcing the strength of our relationship.”

Her trip comes after a huge French-American row that erupted in September when Australia walked out of a multibillion-dollar submarines deal with Paris in favour of an alternative one with the United States.

President Joe Biden sought to make amends at a meeting with Macron last month, telling the French leader that his government had been “clumsy” in the way it secured the submarines deal with Australia which is part of a new strategic alliance between the US, Australia and Britain called Aukus.

It was the clearest sign of contrition from the US since the start of the row that saw France recall its ambassadors from Washington and Canberra after the deal that swept aside an agreement worth more than US$60 billion struck by a French defence contractor to sell diesel-powered submarines to Australia.

US Vice-President Kamala Harris and her husband Douglas Emhoff arrive at Orly airport on November 9, 2021. Photo: EPA-EFE

Harris, who is to meet Macron on Wednesday, is expected to confirm Biden’s overtures, including with discussions about possible US support for France’s military mission against jihadists in the Sahel, and for plans to strengthen European defence capabilities.