The Supreme Council for National Defence held an ordinary meeting chaired by the President of the Republic.

At the end of the meeting, which took place in the Palace of Belém, the following Communiqué was issue:

“The Council was advised concerning the situation of the National Armed Forces deployed in peace missions abroad. The mission that the Armed Forces had undertaken in Afghanistan since 2003 had terminated and the Council wished to underline the professionalism shown in duties that were risky and involved ordeals, actions which had been recognized by the highest bodies of the Atlantic Alliance and by the local Government itself.

The Council expressed the opinion that the activities of the Armed Forces in such differentiated missions in scattered locations have provided a strong contribution to our Country’s international image.

The Council then analysed and gave a favourable view to the Government’s proposal for missions to be undertaken in 2015, within the sphere of NATO, the European Union and the United Nations, which are, in general, an extension of those deployed in 2014.

With respect to recent concerns over international security, the Council analysed and gave a favourable view to an aid and support mission, within NATO, and to the possibility of participating in the Iraq multilateral coalition, in terms of military training.

The council gave a favourable view on the Government’s projected proposals on the Law of Military Programming and on the Law on Military Infrastructure, which are ready for appraisal by the Government and, after the latter’s approval, to be submitted to Parliament.”