US State Department spokesman Ned Price announced that his country “hopes” to be able to raise its dispute with France over the submarine crisis “next week” at the United Nations.

“We have been in close contact with our French allies and hope to be able to continue our discussion on this issue at a high level in the coming days, including at the UN General Assembly next week in New York,” Price said in a statement. He added that he “understands the position” of the French, stressing that he was informed of Paris’ unprecedented decision to recall its ambassador to the United States for “consultations.”

On Friday, France summoned its ambassadors to the United States and Australia for consultations, in an unprecedented decision towards two historical allies, after Canberra canceled a huge contract with Paris to buy submarines and concluded a new one with Washington for the same purpose.

“At the request of the President of the Republic, I have decided to immediately summon to Paris to consult our ambassadors to the United States and Australia,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said in a statement. “This exceptional decision is justified by the exceptional gravity of what Australia and the United States announced on September 15,” he added.

US National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horne said, “We have been in close contact with our French partners about their decision to recall the ambassador to Paris for consultations. We understand their position and will continue to seek in the coming days to resolve our differences, as we have done at other times during our long alliance.” — Middle East 24

Source: National News Agency