José Sena Goulão / Lusa
António José Seguro speaking at the 10th of June celebrations
The new President used his first June 10th to highlight the importance of strategic alliances with allies and NATO.
The President of the Republic defended today, from the Azores, peace, human rights and the Charter of the United Nations and a “balance ratio” with the allies, in his speech on June 10th.
On this occasion, António José Seguro insisted on the idea that “European strategic autonomy” is reconcilable with “transatlantic defense”adding: “Autonomy does not mean isolation. It means freedom of decision and responsibility, improving, updating and reinforcing bilateral cooperation with our allies.”
At the military ceremony commemorating Portugal Day, in Angra do Heroísmo, on the island of Terceira, where the Lajes Base is located, the head of state and supreme commander of the Armed Forces said that the Azores are “at a strategic point in the relationship between Europe and the American continent, between the North Atlantic and the great sea and air routes that structure the global order”.
“For all these reasons, it is a place that requires assuming special responsibilities and dutieswithin the framework of the full affirmation of our sovereignty, our interests and our strategic future. Always in mutual respect for what is assumed, whether with a country, with the international community and with the Charter of the United Nations. And from my perspective, one situation is not dissociated from the others”, he stated, in the initial part of his speech.
António José Seguro framed “the present and future of Europe and North America” as “dimensions of the same security community, which NATO has its fundamental pillar” and the Atlantic as “part of European strategic autonomy, from a political, economic, energy, technological and security and defense point of view”.
“Ensuring the security of European countries is only possible in conjunction with our alliesin a relationship of balance and reciprocity, of respect for the sovereignty of States, based on values that, despite the uncertainty of the times, do not change: peace, freedom, human rights and multilateralism – values that guide the action of our Armed Forces in Portugal and deployed on missions throughout the world”, he maintained.
The President of the Republic also left a word for the emigrants, remembering that the “diaspora is not a complement to Portugal” and that the country “will be with open arms” to welcome anyone who wants to return.
Seguro also criticized the extremism of the times we live in, pointing out that there is a lack of “middle words” and “invitations to dialogue and encounter” which are “an antidote to the virus of polarization”. “My election as President of the Republic was marked by desire to unite the Portuguese and unite Portugal”, he emphasizes.
The former socialist leader considers that “a space for confrontation must also be a place for compromise” and defends “tolerance for those who think differently, for those who have different origins, different religions and beliefs”. “This is a time that asks us for courage make difficult choices without giving in to populismof telling the truth even when it’s uncomfortable”, he concludes.
