Anders Fogh Rasmussen will be in Portugal, tomorrow, 8 September. The presence in our country of NATO’s General Secretary, his agenda – with top-level meetings with the Portuguese State hierarchy – and the themes for discussion that have been made public, are highly revealing of the political line of the current PSD/CDS Government. A line that, in a continuity of the action of the previous Socialist Party Government, develops and reinforces a foreign and defence policy of total submission to the diktats and strategy of NATO; of growing involvement of Portugal in the militarist and interventionist projects of this organisation and of its main powers; and of systematic disrespect for the principles of the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic and for the values of peace, friendship and cooperation among sovereign peoples and nations.
The visit of NATO’s General Secretary has particular seriousness, since it takes place in a moment in which, according to published news, this political-military block, which is responsible for some of imperialism’s bigger crimes in its history, is preparing to continue the bloodbath in Libya, aiming to complete the occupation of this country and thus implement the aim of controlling its natural resources and sovereign funds. In this context, the PCP reiterates its strongest repudiation for the criminal NATO war of aggression on the Libyan people, while reaffirming its position in favour of a political and negotiated settlement of the conflict and demanding the immediate end of bombings and all of NATO’s military operations in Libya.
In view of the presence in Portugal of the General Secretary of an organisation which – namely after holding its summit in Portugal, in November 2010 – affirms and confirms itself as a war machine of imperialism, at the service of the USA and powers like France, Germany or Great Britain, that acts marginally from international law and clearly disrespecting the Charter of the United Nations, the PCP reiterates its view that NATO should be dissolved, Portugal should progressively abandon its military structure and Portuguese armed forces should immediately stop participating in NATO’s imperialist wars and military operations.
In the context of the discussion around NATO’s restructuring, following the adoption of its new strategic concept, the PCP considers that it is particularly serious that, in a background in which heavy and unjust sacrifices are being demanded from the Portuguese people, in the name of the so-called “Combat against the Crisis”, an option is maintained of deeply involving Portugal in NATO’s military structure and in missions such as the announced policing of Iceland with F16 planes or the occupation of Afghanistan. What is required, in consonance with the interests of the Portuguese people, is to re-equate the whole defence budget, paying crucial attention to the preservation of rights and living conditions of the Portuguese armed forces, while re-directing the existing resources towards the armed forces’ main mission, which is defending our sovereignty and territory, territorial sea and the Portuguese airspace.
The PCP calls on the Portuguese workers and people – in view of the presence in Portugal of NATO’s General Secretary – to express their repudiation for this visit, intensify their protest and demand for the immediate end of the aggression on Libya, as well as of the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan, for the dissolution of NATO and for an immediate stop to Portugal’s involvement in its interventionist and war projects, for the defence of peace, sovereignty, justice and social progress, friendship and cooperation among peoples and among sovereign and independent states.
