Canberra, Australia, Sept. 18: France’s ambassador to Australia has described as a “huge mistake” Australia’s surprise cancellation of a major submarine contract in favor of a U.S. deal, in an unprecedented show of anger among the allies.  

French envoy Jean-Pierre Thebault delivered his comments Saturday as he left his residence in the capital of Canberra. Paris recalled its ambassadors to Australia and the United States on Friday to protest a deal among the United States, Australia and Britain to supply Australia with a fleet of at least eight nuclear-power submarines. The deal scraps a contract with a French majority state-owned company to build 12 conventional diesel-electric submarines. Australia’s new U.S. deal comes as it looks to confront China’s rising military power in the region.-AP