Paris, Oct 2 (TIWN) French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has said that serious actions were needed for his country and the US to get out of the crisis following the submarine row.

Last month, Australia, the UK and the US announced a new security partnership known as AUKUS, under which the first initiative is the delivery of a nuclear-powered submarine fleet to Australia by the other two.  The French Foreign Minister, who had condemned the trilateral move with harsh words such as "lying" "betrayal" and "backstabbing", told the Senate that "at no time" had the Australians "openly expressed their wish" to break the contract with France or "mentioned discussions with other partners".  For the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in the Senate, this situation raised the question over the action of French diplomatic and intelligence services relating to the knowledge and anticipation of this event.  "Have we really been the dupes of a pact under construction for 18 months, as it is revealed by the news now? Should we add this humiliation to the camouflet?" asked Christian Cambon, president of the Committee.