Australia disputes French version of submarine letter

Tourists stand atop of the Sydney Harbour Bridge next to flag poles flying the New South Wales state and Australian national flags in Sydney, Australia, November 13, 2018. REUTERS/David Gray/Files

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia denied on Thursday an assertion by France that Canberra had re-committed to a $60 billion contract to buy French submarines in a letter sent just before it announced it was buying subs from the United States and Britain instead.

Canberra's decision to exit the French submarine contract while forming an alliance known as AUKUS with Washington and London has sparked a diplomatic quarrel. France said it was blindsided by an Australian "stab in the back".