French ambassador says Australia 'childish' to keep U.S. subs pact secret

FILE PHOTO: Australian Minister of Defense Peter Dutton, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken speak at the State Department in Washington, U.S., September 16, 2021. Andrew Harnik/Pool via REUTERS

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australia's assertion that it could not inform France of its top-secret talks with the United States and Britain to build nuclear submarines is "childish", the French envoy to Canberra said on Friday.

Australia walked away from a $40 billion deal with France's Naval Group to build a fleet of conventional submarines last month and will instead build at least eight nuclear-powered submarines with U.S. and British technology after striking a trilateral security partnership with those two countries.