France has called off a crucial defence meeting with the United Kingdom, which was scheduled for later this week, over an ongoing diplomatic row related to the AUKUS alliance, according to media reports citing unnamed sources.

The meeting was supposed to be conducted between France’s Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly and her British counterpart Ben Wallace, according to reports from Reuters.

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Anonymous sources told Reuters that the decision to call off the defence meeting was taken personally by Parly.

The news comes as French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to speak to United States President Joe Biden in their first contact since a major diplomatic crisis erupted between France and the United States over a submarine deal with Australia, an official said Sunday.

The phone call is at the request of Biden, government spokesman Gabriel Attal said, adding that there was “shock” and “anger” at first in France over news of the deal. But now it’s time to try to move forward, he said. 

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The diplomatic relations of France have taken a sour turn with all three members of AUKUS, which includes Australia, United States and United Kingdom.

The deal by the United States reflects the American pivot toward the Indo-Pacific region, seen as increasingly strategic as China bolsters its influence there. Yet France feels the deal steps on its feet in a region where it has long had a strong presence that it, too, is working to bolster, in addition to a five-year contract with Australia.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Sunday that France “would have had every reason to know that we have deep and grave concerns” about the capability of France’s Attack class subs, which he said can’t meet Australia’s strategic interests.