The Prime Minister of Sao Tome met with Luis Montenegro without an agreement with Russia in a conversation

The Prime Minister of Sao Tome and Principe met this Monday in Lisbon with Luis Montenegro, both talked about bilateral military cooperation, without touching the agreement with Russia, and were optimistic about the future of visas.

At the end of the meeting with the Prime Minister of Portugal, Patrice Trovoada told Lusa that such a meeting had already been attempted for several weeks and that he was now taking advantage of his visit to Portugal to make it happen.

“We tried to coordinate our schedules a few weeks ago and this time we managed to get everything right. I’m passing through Lisbon and it was a good opportunity to get to know each other in person and we took the opportunity to renew our collaboration. , bilateral issues and the international agenda are also few,” he continued.

When asked whether the agreement on military cooperation between Sao Tome and Moscow was the subject of a conversation with Luis Montenegro, Trovoada answered in the negative.

“We talked about the international situation, about the situation in Ukraine. Portugal knows very well, and there was no need to insist on the position of Sao Tome and Principe, which is to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” he said.

And he continued: “We obviously talked about bilateral cooperation in the military field, about the security situation in the Gulf of Guinea and came to the conclusion that the relationship is good, will continue to be good, and we need to see to what extent we can deepen it ” .

Regarding the announced changes to CPLP (Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries) visas, after Portugal stated that proof of existence will be required from anyone wishing to enter Portugal with a CPLP permit, Patrice Trovoada stated that “the intention, the principle that underlies does not change”.

“There are circumstances that Portugal knows about, that the Portuguese people know, and that is Portugal’s responsibility and we will not interfere,” he said.

According to Trovoada, “It is important that the desire for greater integration and movement of people remains alive. Now there are conditions for which those who govern Portugal and the Portuguese are responsible, and we will see the end result.”

“The most important thing for us is that I didn’t want to go back. I think Portugal belongs to several spaces – the CPLP, the EU – and there are restrictions and factors that I am not aware of. , but I believe that this political will on the part of the Portuguese government continues.”

And he added: “We are not in a static panorama, everything is developing, there are limitations. Let’s leave it at that and see what the final framework is, and then of course we’ll deal with it.”