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A major diplomatic spat has after France its ambassadors to Australia and the USA. The rift follows Australia an order for France to it with 12 conventional diesel-powered submarines. The deal was in 2016 and was worth $37 billion in business to the French. Instead, Australia has to buy nuclear-powered submarines, on the 2016 agreement. France's President Macron the cancellation of the deal a "stab in the back" and a "betrayal" by Australia. Mr Macron also France's top diplomat to the USA. He said the US and Australia were "the possibility of future cooperation on nuclear-powered submarines".

A new, strategic security alliance between Australia, the UK and the USA is the cause of the split. The alliance is called AUKUS - an acronym on the names of the three countries up to it. AUKUS means Australia will provided with the technology to nuclear-powered submarines. France says it was only of the alliance hours before it was publicly to the world. France is the USA's oldest ally. The French foreign minister said his country's "exceptional decision" because of the "exceptional gravity" of the situation. It is said AUKUS is to China's influence in the region. China the three AUKUS powers of a "Cold War mentality".