As experts digest the impact of the sudden emergence of the AUKUS alliance, initial fears that the deal could weaken one of the critical intelligence-sharing arrangements appear to have subsided.
Since the announcement on September 15 of a strategic partnership that includes the United States (US), Britain and Australia, international attention has focused on China’s angry reaction, which sees itself as a target for this new group, and for France, which has not only lost its lucrative submarine purchases with Australia, but has also found that its plans for the Indo-Pacific region have been dashed.
But the announcement of the new alliance has also angered two other countries, namely Canada and New Zealand, which, along with the three AKUS partners, are joining the Five Eyes group, an intelligence-sharing group. composed of English speaking countries.
New Zealand, through its Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who has leftist political views, issued an announcement expressing its anger at the new alliance. He also said Australian submarines built under the deal would not be allowed to dock in New Zealand waters.
Meanwhile in Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, feeling humiliated, was forced to explain to his critics why Canada was not included in the group days before his country’s election on September 20.
Canadian military analysts said the country was excluded because it had essentially nothing to contribute to its nuclear submarine program. Canadian Daily National post reports that Trudeau commented, without a clear citation, that the deal had no impact on the partnership that exists within the Five Eyes group.
In the last election, Trudeau finally managed to win despite his failure to improve the position of the Liberal Party he leads in Parliament.
Although the Canadian magazine Esprit de corps, which focuses on military issues, still writes on “a parody of Canada” so as not to be included in the AUKUS alliance in this week’s issue, other analysts have started to forget the issue.
A report released Thursday by the Macdonald-Laurier Institute said Canada may focus on other ways to contribute to the Five Eyes Group.
In New Zealand, concerns about the AUKUS deal quickly faded when New Zealand itself rejected the use of nuclear force in its military fleet. This will certainly make the country unfit to enter the New Covenant. (jm / my)
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