MOSCOW (Sputnik) — French Prime Minister Manuel Valls pledged on Monday to personally supervise implementation of the Australia-France deal to build 12 submarines for the Australian Navy.
Last week, French state-owned company DCNS took over its competitors from Germany and Japan to secure the $39-billion contract to design and build Australia's new fleet. According to the deal, all the ship are to be constructed in Australia.
"I will supervise, myself, the implementation of our commitments with the minister of defense who will be coming shortly to Australia," Valls said at a joint press conference with his Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull, broadcast by ABC News.
The prime minister reiterated commitment to job creation and technology transfer obligations taken under the deal.