MNE removes doubts about the side that Portugal takes in the conflict – Observer
The Minister of Foreign Affairs said this Tuesday that the “illegal and unjustified invasion of Ukraine by Russia” is the “fundamental fact that dominates international life” and Portugal must maintain its support for Kiev, which he classified as consensual.
This invasion broke with the fundamental principles of international law and order, such as those contained in the Charter of the United Nations or in the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, which Russia recognizes as Ukraine’s borders. It represents a true earthquake in the international system, in relations between countries, in the international economy, in food”, said João Gomes Cravinho in his opening speech at the headquarters of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and Portuguese Communities.
For Cravinho, this is a moment when there can be no “doubts about which side Portugal is on, and we are proud to see the opinion polls that clearly show that the overwhelming majority of Portuguese people have no doubts”. “We don’t have either“, I guarantee.
In a regimental hearing in the Assembly of the Republic, the head of Portuguese diplomacy considered that the unity of the Euro-Atlantic community was “up to the challenge” and Portugal will continue to participate “actively in the European framework, in NATO and in the United Nations, reaffirming the defense of multilateralism as a fundamental model of response to global and regional challenges”.
In terms of principles, he reiterated that “whoever violates international law in such a basic way must suffer a strategic defeat”, adding, categorically: “in addition to being unfair, it would be very dangerous if Russia had won the cause in its invasion” .
Assuming this is aera of transformation and volatility“, the Euro-Atlantic space has gained a new centrality and “Portugal must help Europe to assume the importance of this fact, especially within the framework of NATO”, he defended.
Responding to a question from PSD deputy Tiago Moreira de Sá, João Gomes Cravinho was in favor of taking those responsible for the invasion of Ukraine to court for war crimes, crimes against humanity and aggression.
Distinguishing the latter, which could lead to the creation of an ‘ad hoc’ court that holds accountable those who took “the big decisions”, the minister did not lead to the reform of the statutes of the International Criminal Court: “We will support a model that strengthens rather than weakens international lawin which Kosovo can be an example”.
He was, however, more cautious with regard to the possible accession of Ukraine and other countries to the European Union, which will require reforms to avoid what I considered mistakes in the past.