Portugal wants to strengthen cooperation in the defense sector in the Indo-Pacific region, including in the areas of maritime governance and new technologies, deepening already-strengthened ties with Timor-Leste, Defense Minister Lusa said.
“We want to understand the perspectives of these other countries, deepen relations and schedule meetings to develop more defense relations with these countries,” said Helena Carreiras Luse in Singapore.
The official said that in a meeting with Singaporean counterpart Ng Eng Hen, she reviewed aspects of “common interests” such as defense industry, cyber security, new technologies, maritime security and maritime governance.
Helena Carreiras spoke with Lusa in Singapore on the sidelines of Shangri-La Dialogue, considered one of the region’s premier security and defense meetings hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
This is the first Shangri-La Dialogue to involve the Portuguese Minister of Defense and is a format that is “friendly to more free meetings and conversations” and which allows, as he explained, to “deepen dialogue and interaction that in other contexts impossible.” so easy”.
During her presence in Singapore and on the sidelines of the central debate, the Portuguese minister also met with her Malaysian and East Timorese counterparts, as well as Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretary General Kao Kim Hourne.
“This is an opportunity for us to show what Portugal is doing and how security issues in the Euro-Atlantic region are connected to the Indo-Pacific region. Show how we ourselves, with our 360-degree vision, pay attention to what other countries’ points of view are. and organizations,” he explained.
Elena Carreiras said the meetings also showed Portugal’s position on issues such as the war in Ukraine and unconditional support for that country’s “principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
He explained that women for peace and security is another topic of “great interest” for Portugal, with the desire to secure a common agenda in this area.
In the chapter on Timor-Leste, the minister wanted to highlight support for the country’s roadmap for joining ASEAN, as well as to show that bilateral cooperation is “strong and remains strong in supporting the capacity building of Timor-Leste, especially its armed forces.”
“As part of the CPLP, we launched work on joint participation in peacekeeping operations, an area in which we have already taken steps. We signed in Luanda, before coming here, a memorandum on the establishment of a civilian military cell that will allow us to participate together in peacekeeping missions, and Timor-Leste, of course, is also included in this road map,” he explained.
“Our presence on Timor is what also brings us to this Indo-Pacific region, representing with its presence an important outpost of the EU itself, bringing the EU closer in the area and linking the security of this area with the security of the euro. Atlantic,” he said.
The minister explained that she hopes to sign a new framework agreement on defense cooperation during her visit to Timor-Leste in October, with Portugal interested in exploring triangulation with other countries.
“We naturally have the space and recognition of Timor-Leste, it is very clear that our cooperation is valuable and valuable for Timor-Leste in Lebanon,” he said.
“We will continue to work on this cooperation, including in triangulation with other partners who are also in Timor-Leste, with Australia and Indonesia, but above all, we feel that there is room to further explore this mission of ours, also articulating a new model of cooperation between missions in the field of defense, in which we work in several areas,” he explained.
In response to a question about China and the growing tensions in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, the Portuguese minister said that Portugal advocates the importance of “continuing to develop communication lines so that communication lines remain open.”
“From a defense standpoint, it is important to prevent future escalation and tensions that we are already feeling. We want to be partners in dialogue, in creating the conditions for establishing these lines of communication and promoting conflict resolution and security. in this part of the world..
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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