Seguro argues that “good relations” with the USA and European autonomy are complementary

The President of the Republic defended this Tuesday that “good relations” with the USA must be maintained, and deepened, but at the same time ensure Europe’s “strategic autonomy” in matters of security and defense.

“I think the two dimensions are perfectly complementary”, declared António José Seguro to journalists, in Angra do Heroísmo, on the island of Terceira, where he arrived, for the celebrations of Portugal Day, and met with the representative of the Republic for the Autonomous Region of the Azores, Susana Goulart Costa.

Asked by journalists about the appropriate time for a possible review of the cooperation and defense agreement between Portugal and the USA that regulates the use of the Lajes Base – which he defended in January, as a presidential candidate –, the head of state and supreme commander of the Armed Forces considered that “this is not the time” to talk about this subject.

When asked whether he chose to hold these celebrations on the island of Terceira also as a form of affirmation of national sovereignty, because of the Lajes Base, António José Seguro replied: “The President of the Republic affirms the sovereignty of Portugal every day, in any corner of our country”.

“We do it here in the Azores, on Terceira Island, as we do in Trás-os-Montes, Minho, Algarve, Alentejo, in every corner of our country. Affirming our sovereignty, defending our national independence, is one of the noblest and most demanding tasks of a President of the Republic”, he added.

Regarding relations with the United States of America, the head of state said that his positions are known. “I am a supporter of maintaining NATO as defense and security organizationand I believe that we should have good relations with the USA. We must deepen these relationships at all levels, economic, commercial, security“.

“We must also have a broader vision in relation to the Atlantic, not just look at the USA, also look at Canada, look at Mercosur. We have a universalist vocation and we must give expression to this vocation through very concrete cooperation”, he added.

António José Seguro then highlighted that his position in defense of “Europe’s strategic autonomy, particularly in matters of security and defense” is also known, and argued that they are complementary.