Security policy: Maas calls new US alliance “irritating” and “sobering”

Security policy: Maas calls new US alliance “irritating” and “sobering”

The French government feels offended by Great Britain, the United States and Australia. Federal Foreign Minister Maas is also irritated by the new three-way alliance in the Indo-Pacific.

Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has clearly criticized the new security alliance between the USA and Australia and Great Britain in the Indo-Pacific.

“What was decided there and the way in which this decision was made is irritating. And it’s not just sobering for France, ”said the SPD politician on Tuesday shortly before US President Joe Biden’s speech at the start of the UN general debate in New York.

Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson launched a new alliance last week that is apparently intended to counter a military threat from China in the Indo-Pacific. The pact shattered a multi-billion dollar submarine deal between Australia and France, which led to angry reactions in Paris. French President Emmanuel Macron temporarily withdrew the ambassadors from the USA and Australia – an extremely unusual measure among friends and allies.

So far, the federal government has been very cautious about the alliance. Maas now became clearer in New York: “What we see there has made a lot more difficult. And I fear that it will remain more difficult for a while, ”said the SPD politician. “I can understand the anger of our French friends very well.”

Maas said that he did not see any new “hardening” in relation to the USA. But he never had any illusions that there would be no problems with the new US President Biden. One will now have to think in Europe about how to achieve more sovereignty. “It will ultimately be up to us in Europe, whether we can manage it or not.”

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