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Ladies and Gentlemen,

Allow me to start by addressing my deepest thanks for the presence amongst us of their Royal Highnesses the Princes of Asturias, a great honour for this ceremonial act and a sign of the special affection with which they regard our Country.

D. Felipe was one of the first international personages that I had the honour to receive after my election to the Presidency of the Republic, even before I took office.

On the other hand, it was during my State Visit to Spain, the first, that the announcement was made that the Princess of Asturias was expecting the arrival of a further child, Infanta Sofia, a moment and happiness my wife and I had the opportunity to share with Their Majesties the kings and their Royal Highnesses the Princes of Asturias.

During that State Visit, I had the opportunity of making the first Visit of a Portuguese Head of State to the Principality of Asturias. A visit which His Royal Highness Prince Felipe personally accompanied, in a gesture which to us was very gratifying.

After such outstanding events it is easy to understand the very personal satisfaction with which my wife and I receive Your Highnesses in Portugal, and jointly hold this ceremonial act.

The award, by the prestigious Fundación San Benito de Alcântara, of the Puente de Alcantara Prize to the Alqueva Hydroelectric Power Station, honours Portugal and is revealing of very relevant diverse factors.

In the first place, because we are looking at a structuring project of social, environmental and economic development of the Alentejo. Alqueva, the largest artificial lake in Europe – is both a strategic water reserve and a fundamental infrastructure for the development of the agricultural, tourism and energy production sectors.

I gratifyingly recall the moment when the Government, presided by me, decided in 1993 to reopen this Project, discontinued for many years, and launched the first public tenders for its construction. This multipurpose undertaking came into operation in 2002. It is now fundamental that its consolidation continues in order to achieve all the objectives comprised in the respective Project.

Secondly, because this project relates to two fundamental areas of our cooperation with Spain: Water and Energy.

The Albufeira Portuguese-Spanish Convention, which regulates the management of the international rivers, in this case the Guadiana River, was signed almost 10 years ago, and its “proof of life” was successfully recorded in the 2005 drought. In spite of the difficulties which affected both countries, with their total territories in serious or extreme drought conditions, it was possible with recourse to the means foreseen in the Convention, to minimize the risks placed by the lack of water.

But the contract work that merited the Prize of the San Benito de Alcântara Foundation – the Alqueva Hydroelectric Power Station – brings us to another relevant topic of the cooperation between Portugal and Spain: the Iberian Electric Power Market.

In both cases – water and energy – Portugal and Spain stand to gain with greater articulation and cooperation.

Thirdly, because this Prize brings attention to the importance of renewable energies within the framework of the sustainability of our model of development.

Either due to the need to reduce our energy costs – heavily penalized by the increase in oil prices, or by the need to combat climatic change, now is the time to invest, on the demand side, in energy efficiency and, on the supply side, in production from sources of renewable energies.

In this respect, it would be useful to recall that Portugal has only 46% of its hydro potential in use. I am thus extremely pleased with the recent setting, at both European and national level, of more ambitious targets for renewable energies.

Finally, I spiritedly congratulate the project designers, the workers and the entrepreneurs that took part in the consortium of enterprises that designed and built the Alqueva Hydroelectric Power Station, and renew my great happiness in having amongst us Their Royal Highnesses the Princes of Asturias, accompanying us in the award of the Puente de Alcântara Prize.