Blinken seeks to patch up on France trip after subs furorUS Secrretary of State Antony Blinken speaks to the press during US-EU trade talks in Pittsburgh ahead of a trip to Paris following tensionsWASHINGTON - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will promise better communication with France on a trip to Paris to next week where officials are still smarting over the cancellation of a massive submarine contract. Blinken will then fly from Paris to Mexico City for his first trip to the neighboring country as the top US diplomat, a trip already announced by the Mexican government. France accused the United States of betrayal and Australia of back-stabbing and withdrew ambassadors from both countries. Blinken had already been planning to visit for the 60th anniversary of the Paris-based Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Blinken will speak at the OECD on "shared values" including transparency, said Matt Murray, a senior State Department official handling economic affairs.
