Australia cautioned the French contractor Naval Group – hours before the $90bn submarine deal was cancelled – that its achievement of a key contractual milestone did “not provide any authorisation to continue work”.

The letter, sent to Naval Group on 15 September, is at the heart of an extraordinary diplomatic rift between France and Australia, with the French foreign minister telling a parliamentary hearing this week that “someone lied”.

The Guardian has obtained the letter under Australia’s freedom of information laws.

The letter – which appears to be carefully worded with a focus on contractual matters – said the Australian government “has provided guidance to Naval Group regarding the continuation of work and reimbursement of work”.

But the director general of the Future Submarine Program – Royal Australian Navy Commodore Craig Bourke – added a caveat about the government not yet granting authorisation to proceed.

Read the story, including the full letter, here: