Prime Minister of Portugal Luís Montenegro met with the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, in Madrid, on his first official visit. The Head of the Portuguese Government proposed that the next bilateral summit be held in the second half of October in Portugal, with Spain accepting, with the exact date and location subsequently being decided.
Luís Montenegro and Pedro Sánchez discussed various issues of bilateral relations and the situation in the European Union and internationally, with emphasis on Ukraine and the Near East.
Luís Montenegro stated that it is a pleasure that the flame of connection between the two countries, peoples, and governments is kept alive, adding that there are no party differences that could jeopardize this centuries-old relationship, as the objective of both is to bring well-being to respective people, making economies more competitive so that people can live better.
Portugal and Spain want to follow these paths together with a relationship of deep friendship and cooperation, he said. Portugal will continue to be a traveling companion in the deepening of bilateral relations, which are historically very intense, he said, highlighting the dominance of common participation in the project of a more prosperous, peaceful Europe that serves its citizens, and the contribution of both countries on the international scene, so that democracy and human rights can prevail in the face of the threats they face.
The Prime Minister stated that Spain counts on Portuguese solidarity and friendship in defending the common interests of the two countries in the European Union, and both must take advantage of projects for which there is funding and which correspond to strategic agendas in the field of energy, technology, and the environment, whether projects they already have in common or projects they want to carry out, he also said.
In existing projects, Luís Montenegro highlighted the construction of the two bridges of Alcoutim and Nisa the connections of Puebla de Sanabria and Zamora, and the completion of passenger and freight railway projects.
About the international panorama, Luís Montenegro said that both countries condemned Iran’s attack on Israel, and affirmed the need, in the European and global contexts, to try to avoid an escalation of violence.
Portugal defends an immediate ceasefire that can serve as a route to peace so that effective humanitarian aid can reach Gaza, he said, adding that Portugal is committed to international organizations on this path.
Portugal considers that Palestine can be granted full member status in the United Nations General Assembly, which would be a very important message and a very relevant first step towards achieving a two-state solution, he said.
Portugal supports the two-state solution, Israel and Palestine, considering that this understanding must be reached multilaterally in the European Union and the United Nations, he also said.