Valls reaffirms France’s commitment to Australia submarine project

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls reaffirmed in Canberra on Monday his government’s commitment to the bigmoney project of constructing 12 submarines for Australia.

“France will honor its commitment in terms of transfer of technology, infrastructure and job creation in Australia,” Valls said in a press conference with his Australian counterpart, Malcolm Turnbull.

The 12 submarines will be built in Australia.

Turnbull denied that his government chose the French proposal over those of Germany and Japan in order to keep the opportunity of having nuclear submarines open for the future, and stressed that both countries work together closely as part of an international coalition in the fight against the Islamic State (IS).

Valls also paid a visit to New Zealand on Sunday, marking the first trip by a French head of government to the country in 25 years.

During the trip, Valls met New Zealand’s Prime Minister John Key to discuss humanitarian issues in Syria and the Middle East, and the fight against IS, according to the NZN news agency.

New Zealand committed to make efforts to get French Polynesia and New Caledonia onto the Pacific Islands Forum, however there was no progress on a possible free trade agreement with the European Union, a source said.

Valls told reporters that the subject of the 1985 Rainbow Warrior bombing in Auckland harbor carried out by French agents was not addressed.

“Honestly, I think that now this is behind us. Our relationship has changed and is now focused on the future.”