The President of the Republic addressed his French counterpart, François Hollande, a letter in which he expresses his disavowal over the outrage committed today in Paris against the headquarters of the “Charlie Hebdo” weekly newspaper and his condolences for the resulting victims.

Following is the text of the letter from President Cavaco Silva:

“Mister President,

I was deeply concerned upon being advised of the outrage committed today in Paris, which deserves our fullest condemning and rejection. This act resulted in a large number of victims and struck at a fundamental principle of our democracies, that of the freedom of the press.

In this time of suffering and mourning, I wish to convey to Your Excellency and the People of France, on behalf of the Portuguese and in my own personal name, our deepest regrets and feelings of solidarity.

I beg you to accept, Mister President, my highest regards and personal esteem.

Aníbal Cavaco Silva”