French PM says submarines to be built in Australia
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CANBERRAMay 03, 2016 - 12:00 am GMT+3
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May 03, 2016 12:00 am
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said Monday he was committed to building all of a new Australian submarine fleet in Australia, apparently contradicting the French contractor who said last week the deal would create jobs in France.
Valls stopped off in Australia while headed to New Zealand for a scheduled visit, just days after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said France had beaten out Japan and Germany for the A$50 billion ($38 billion) contract. Valls said he would personally oversee the drafting of the contract between France's state-owned naval contractor DCNS Group and Australia over the next few months.
"We will now deliver on all of our commitments .. the choice of the Australian contract was to have the 12 submarines built in Australia and that was the basis of our agreement." Comments by DCNS chief Herve Guillou last week that the deal would create about 4,000 jobs in French shipyards caused consternation in Australia, where the contract was heavily sold as a local build. The deal will likely play a critical role in Australia's general election due on July 2, with it expected to shore up support for the ruling Liberal Party-led coalition in the state of South Australia where the bulk of benefits will flow.
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Research Associate at Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA) at Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University
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