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Meeting of the Supreme Council for National Defence

Meeting of the Supreme Council for National Defence

The Supreme Council for National Defence met, on a scheduled meeting, presided by the President of the Republic.

At the end of the meeting, held in the Palace of Belém, a communiqué was read by the Secretary to the Council, General João Goulão de Melo.

Following is the text of the communiqué:

“The Council met on a scheduled meeting, and analysed the situation with respect to National Defence and Armed Forces issues, within the programme of economic and financial aid to Portugal.

The Council then analysed the performance of the Armed Forces Detachments on peace missions carried outside Portuguese territory, as well as the possible development of participations within the framework of the European Union, NATO and the United Nations.

The Council gave an unanimously favourable view to the Government’s proposal concerning the Armed Forces Detachments in external military operations, in 2012, when participations OCEAN SHIELD, in the Indian Ocean, and ALTHEA, in Bosnia Herzegovina, will be at an end.

Portugal will take part, within the framework of the European Union, in Operation ATALANTA, for the protection of maritime traffic and prevention of acts of piracy at the large of Somalia’s coast, with a Frigate and approximately 200 military staff, during 2 months, and also, within NATO, with F-16 aircraft, on a mission of aerial policing of Iceland, also for a 2 month period”.