Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was speaking at the Portuguese embassy in London after Prime Ministers Antonio Costa and Boris Johnson on Monday asked journalists about the possibility of concluding a global political agreement on the new framework for cooperation between the two countries. .
“Prime minister [António Costa] And the Portuguese government is working hard on this together with the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and the British government. like prime minister [português] Will be in London on Monday, means that the conditions have matured for a step forward towards an agreement”, defended the head of state.
Asked about the possibility that Portugal and the United Kingdom would soon conclude a bilateral agreement even from a commercial point of view, although without conflicting with EU rules regarding third countries, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa announced that it is “possible”.
“It has already begun to be drawn up in the previous government headed by the same prime minister. Each member state is free to have bilateral relations, while not in conflict with the European Union”, emphasized the head of state.
At this point, the President of the Republic made a point of pointing out that “this has already happened with respect to the various rights, even political, of British citizens in Portugal and of the Portuguese in the United Kingdom”.
According to Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the global agreement to be signed between Portugal and the United Kingdom “does not oppose” the rules of the country’s membership of the European Union.
“This agreement completes shows that Portugal can be a very interesting bridge with the United Kingdom, a traditional ally within the European Union”, he said.
“An agreement is being drawn up between the two countries with a special focus on the areas of defence, foreign policy, science, higher education and climate change, especially the oceans”, Foreign Affairs Minister Joao Gomes told Lusa. Cravinho, at the end of a visit to the Royal Brompton Hospital in London, in which he was accompanied by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
