Photo : Reuters/BBC
NIAS Europe Daily Brief #29, 03 November 2021, Wednesday
IN FOCUS
By Padmashree Anandhan
France and Australia: Continuing AUKUS echo
On 1 November, French President Emmanuel Macron accused Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison of purposefully deceiving France over the AUKUS pact with the US and Britain. Recent strife has begun between the two due to the leak of a text message from President Macron. Earlier Australia, which was in contract with France to buy French diesel-electric submarines, called off the deal, creating tensions between the two. Morrison denied by saying that "he had explained to the French president that conventional submarines would no longer meet Australia's needs." Adding along, the Australian Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce stated: "It was a contract, contracts have terms and conditions, and one of those terms and conditions and propositions is that you might get out of the contract." On the other hand, US President Joe Biden stated that "the handling of the new pact had been "clumsy, "adding that he had thought France had been informed of the contract cancellation before the pact was announced."
A contract with Australia to supply 12 conventionally powered submarines was a massive deal worth USD 90 billion for France. Calling of the deal means a hit on its finances and economy. While the contract was blown out for France, Australia striking a similar deal with the US and the UK for more advanced technology means a backlash to its diplomatic relations. Finally, now that Australia has rejected the contract with the French for the conventional diesel-powered submarines, the percentage of States interested in the technology will reduce. This means a loss of market for the French-produced submarines.
The question of whether France has a possibility of abandoning the submarine deal with Australia or signing another deal with AUKUS members is still uncertain as the tensions build. Recently at the Paris G20 summit, Prime Minister Morrison has said that the steps to stabilize the relations have already started. According to the Australian foreign minister who met the French ambassador to initiate calming of relations. These efforts were said to have been dented by senior members of the government who played down the significance of Australia's decision. As far as France it strives for an alternative deal or action to fix the rift with the Australian government, but it will remain uncertain until there are some actual developments or exchanges take place between the states.
References
"France's Macron says Australia PM lied over submarine deal," Reuters, 1 November 2021.
Daniel Hurst, "Why is Emmanuel Macron so upset with Scott Morrison?" The Guardian, 1 November 2021.
IN BRIEF
By Joeana Cera Matthews and Vaishnavi Iyer
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Dodik threatens Bosnian separation
Bosnian-Serb leader Milorad Dodik has threatened to cut Serb territory off from national institutions like the tax authority, the pharmaceuticals agency, and, most importantly, the military forces.Although it would not be considered secession, the resurgence of an ethnic Serb army is a terrifying prospect for many Bosnians. This would imply the further weakening of the already weak national government. Dodik's proposals, according to the International High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina Christian Schmidt, are an "existential threat" to the country. The Serb leader stated that he did not recognize the High Representative and remained indifferent to the prospects of division and conflict. The decision by Dodik is not surprising for Bosnians as it follows a decade-long series of threats to the Bosnian integrity. (Guy Delauney, "Bosnian leader stokes fears of Balkan breakup," BBC, 03 November 2021)
THE CZECH REPUBLIC
Coalition talks reach agreement
On 02 November, center-right party alliance Spolu's (Together) leader Petr Fiala confirmed that the coalition parties had reached an agreement on talks. According to him, the majority coalition government is expected to ratify the said agreement on 08 November when the new parliament would be in session. Fiala, predicted to be the next Czech prime minister, stated that he would meet the ailing President Milos Zeman once he recovered. Zeman has been hospitalized for over a month, and his inability to carry out duties implies that the Prime Minister and speakers of both the houses of parliament take de facto charge. Commenting on the 12-hour long talks, Fiala said: "We have gone through a long, whole day, but also successful negotiations." ("Czech parties reach agreement on coalition government," Deutsche Welle, 02 November 2021)
POLAND
Poland holds silent protests against abortion law
On 01 November, a predominantly Roman Catholic Poland saw silent protests in Krakow, Warsaw, and Gdansk against the Constitutional Tribunal's ruling on an apparent abortion ban. The protests erupted after a family lawyer attributed the death of a 30-year-old woman to the stricter abortion regulations. According to the ruling, abortion would be permissible only in circumstances of rape or incest, or when the mother's health or life was in danger. The family's lawyer had contended that the tighter limits meant doctors took too long to intervene. Citing the same, the lawyer alleged that the woman's death was a consequence of medical experts fearing the termination of pregnancy. The doctors delayed the operation and waited for the foetus to die. The hospital staff adamantly responded that their decisions were in the interest of the foetus and the mother, and that the law had no effect on the same. The conservative legal organisation Ordo Iuris and other pro-government commentators also highlighted that termination of pregnancy was allowed legally under this circumstance. ("Polish abortion law protests over woman's hospital death," BBC, 03 November 2021)
REGIONAL
Satellite images Russian military buildup seen close to Ukrainian borders
On 01 November, satellite images released approve recent reports of Russia gathering troops near the Ukrainian borders. Armored units, tanks and self-propelled artillery are part of the military buildup near the Russian town of Yelnya, which borders Belarus. Jane's satellite imagery analysis states that Russia's 4th Tank Division has shifted its equipment closer to Bryansk and Kursk, near Ukraine's northern border. The report comes in the background of months of increasing tension between Russia and the West over Ukraine's bid to a NATO membership and Putin's denial regarding the same. Speaking on the issue, French MEP and Head of the Security and Defense subcommittee Nathalie Loiseau said: "There are different ways with which Russia is interfering with our neighbours, and indeed we are extremely concerned… You will always have Europeans seeing the Russian threat as a very immediate threat for our continent." (Betsy Woodruff Swan and Paul Mcleary, "Satellite images show new Russian military buildup near Ukraine," POLITICO, 01 November 2021)
GENDER
International Handball Federation changes women's uniform rules
On 01 November, the International Handball Federation (IHF) reformed its rules regarding women's uniforms. During July's European championship, the European Handball Federation had fined Norway's female beach handball team an amount of EUR 1,500 for being "improperly dressed," as they wore shorts instead of the prescribed bikini bottoms. This move was widely protested by players and European lawmakers from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden as they called on the IHF to reform its rules "in accordance with gender equality". The new rules state: "Female athletes must wear tight pants with a close fit." It also allows them to wear "short tight pants" instead of bikinis. Despite the changes, the rules fail to abide by the International Olympic Committee directives to not overly sexualize female athletes. ("Handball federation changes rules following women's bikini scandal," Deutsche Welle, 01 November 2021)