The foreign ministers of Portugal and Spain on Tuesday emphasized their “excellent bilateral relations” and considered the development of high-speed rail links between the two countries a priority.
“For Spain, the priority is to improve the infrastructure that connects with Portugal, and we are particularly interested in high-speed lines, both between Madrid and Lisbon and with Vigo,” said Spanish Minister José Manuel Albarez, who also stressed the importance of building two international road bridges through the Sever and Guadiana rivers.
Portuguese minister Paulo Rangel also said that Portugal and Spain have already started work on the next Iberian summit on October 23, where ties in energy, railways and some roads will “obviously be on the agenda.”
Albarez and Rangel met today in Madrid and, according to the Portuguese minister, a consensus was reached between the two sides for a high-speed rail link and “the same level of priority” as the line between Madrid and Lisbon and the line that is planned to be merged. Lisbon, Porto and Vigo (northern Spain).
“We want at least two connections with Spain, and therefore both are important for us,” said Paulo Rangel, stressing that Portugal also “must take care” of high-speed connections to the country’s two largest cities (Lisbon and Porto).
“We have to have both plans at the same time,” he said.
Neither Rangel nor Albarez has set a timetable for building a high-speed rail link between Portugal and Spain.
The two ministers highlighted the “excellent bilateral relations” between Portugal and Spain, made possible and strengthened by 50 years of democracy.
While Spain has a left-wing government and Portugal a right-wing executive, Rangel recalled that different colors and parties have never disturbed Iberian relations in the last 40 years and said that this will continue to be the case.
“Spain is a priority for Portugal, not for the party or the government. This is a priority for the Portuguese state,” he said.
Rangel and Albarez emphasized that Portugal has excellent bilateral relations, as well as at the multilateral level, with an emphasis on common and joint positions in the European Union.
This was Paulo Rangel’s first trip abroad for an official bilateral meeting with a colleague.
Prime Minister Luis Montenegro also made his first official trip to Spain to meet Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez last month.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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