The NATO Secretary General said that the dispute between the United States and France over submarines should not lead to the division of the alliance

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned Thursday that disagreements between Paris and Washington over the strategic agreement between the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom should not lead to a split in NATO.

“I understand France’s disappointment. But this kind of disagreement should not cause a rift in the alliance nor weaken the strength of the transatlantic link,” he said in a press conference after meeting in Brussels with NATO’s security advisers. 1930s NATO member states.

“The issue was discussed during the meeting, and I am convinced that the allies concerned will find a way to reach an agreement,” he added.

The announcement of a deal between the US, Australia and the UK, called AUKUS, sparked outrage in France as it lost a multi-million dollar submarine contract with Canberra.

After the incident, US Presidents Joe Biden and French Emmanuel Macron met by phone, and will speak again in mid-October.

“As allies, we don’t always agree on everything, all the time, but we never lose sight of the whole situation,” Stoltenberg insisted.

He continued, “At a time of heightened global competition, Europe and North America must continue to face a common front in NATO, as the security challenges we face are too important for a country or continent to do so alone.”

csg / fmi / pp / es / mb