The prime minister’s visit to Madrid on Monday reflects the importance he places on relations between Portugal and Spain and aims to “strengthen the position of both countries” in the European Union, Luis Montenegro’s office said.
The trip to Madrid will be the first official visit of the head of government, as a source from Luis Montenegro’s office emphasized to Luse, adding that the decision shows “the importance that the prime minister attaches to the historical relations and cooperation between the two countries.” countries”.
Social democrat Luis Montenegro will meet in Madrid with his Spanish counterpart, socialist Pedro Sánchez, in Moncloa, the seat of the Spanish government, and this is the only item on the agenda for this official visit.
According to the same source in the Portuguese government, this meeting will serve as preparation for the next Portuguese-Spanish summit. Portugal and Spain hold summits on the Iberian Peninsula every year, and the date for the 2024 summit is still unknown.
The Madrid meeting will also serve to “strengthen the positions of the two countries vis-à-vis the European Union,” the same source told Lusa.
On the Madrid side, the Spanish government only stated that among the topics that Sanchez intends to discuss with Montenegro is the situation in the Middle East and the recognition of a Palestinian state.
Pedro Sánchez has promised to recognize Palestine as a state in the first half of this year, arguing it is a necessary step to try to start a peace process in the Middle East.
Luis Montenegro told parliament on Friday that he defends the so-called two-state solution (Israel and Palestine), but the Portuguese government “does not quite take the same position” as Pedro Sanchez.
Regarding recognition of Palestine as a full member of the United Nations, Montenegro said it supported this Palestinian demand, as did Spain.
Regarding the more than six-month war between the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip, he said the Portuguese government favors “an immediate ceasefire that allows for humanitarian assistance, respect for all international law and negotiations.” with a view to lasting peace.”
Pedro Sánchez publicly congratulated Luis Montenegro on April 5, a few days after the new prime minister took office, and said the two countries would continue to work together as “strategic partners and allies.”
“Portugal is a brotherly country with deep historical ties of cooperation and friendship. We will continue to work together as strategic partners and allies,” Pedro Sanchez wrote on the social network X (formerly Twitter) in a post in which he said that he had already spoken with Montenegro by phone.
The Prime Minister of Portugal on the same day, and also on the social network X, said that he wanted to strengthen the alliance between the two countries, “thinking about the well-being” of both peoples.
“Thank you, Pedro Sánchez, for your words of congratulations and your willingness to continue the historical relations of friendship and cooperation between our countries,” wrote Luis Montenegro.
During the debate in the Assembly of the Republic last Friday, the Prime Minister emphasized that Spain is “the main trading partner of Portugal” and that his duty and the duty of all members of the government “is to protect, defend the interests of the country, citizens, institutions and companies.”
Montenegro responded after being asked about criticism by current Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel, when he was an MEP, of Sanchez, whom he accused of violating the rule of law with agreements with independence parties.
“I must say here very clearly that in the relations between the Portuguese state and the Spanish state, and between the two governments, we will not interfere in the way each of them manages its political circumstances,” Montenegro said in parliament, defending freedom of opinion for government members.
“This view must be distinguished from the exercise of government functions on behalf of the entire Portuguese people,” he said.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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