Welcome to the Official page of the Presidency of the Portuguese Republic

Both my Wife and I have a great pleasure in receiving Your Royal Highnesses in this first Official Visit you are holding to Portugal. We still have very vivid and pleasant memories of our State Visit to Spain, in 2006 and, very particularly, the warm friendship with which we were welcomed in the Asturias Principality.

The very particular significance which comprises this visit is based, at the very first, by the close relationship that links our two countries, and also by the affection and special care that the people of Portugal dedicate to the Royal Family.

The current relationship between Portugal and Spain reflects the changes occurred over the last three decades, when the simultaneous adhesion of both countries to the European Union was a determining sign.

The two young democracies early discovered, along this path, that the border should not continue to be the physical, economic and psychological barrier that it had constituted until then.

The Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, subscribed in 1977, was an important lead towards the new bilateral relationship, which the Portuguese-Spanish Summits, the latter of which was held in Porto, signalled throughout almost thirty years.

The great transformation processes occurred in Spain and Portugal in the latter decades, whether political or economic, whether socially and culturally, not only had a mutual influence, but also signified, after all, the convergence between our two Peoples, whose relations nowadays are closer than centuries of History have ever believed possible.

Portugal and Spain share today the same values, endeavouring to assert these in the international community: within the Atlantic Alliance they commonly guarantee their defence and security, and closely participate in a community of affection and interests with the Latin-American countries.

Even more, however, Spain and Portugal are partners in the same essential stake in European construction, firmly convinced of its merits, a conviction that is not shaken by the difficulties and circumstantial vacillations in the European project.

It is precisely at a time when challenges arise, such as that we are crossing, when our strategic partnership should become stronger and more active, so that, we may add to the necessary efforts of budgetary consolidation, real policies of economic growth and creation of employment.

Concerning the interchange between our two Peoples, evolution in the latter decades was equally clear. The development of tourist flows had a relevant role, as well as displacement of people, especially in the case of entrepreneurial staff present in one or the other country: Equally in the cultural area we find expressive instance of successful cooperation between both countries, as proven by the several prizes obtained by various artists over the respective borders.

I have however found that a deficit still exists in Portugal regarding the Spanish reality and, conversely, a significant lacking in knowledge of the Portuguese reality in Spain.

This picture after all, brings about the need, that I have been emphasizing, for Portugal to redouble its effort to make itself known to a World that is often better informed of the difficulties that the Country is going through, than of its real capabilities and of the excellence it reaches in many and varied fields. And Spain must naturally be at the front line of this effort in dissemination.

I am certain that a more complete and profound knowledge between our two Peoples and Countries would bring about greater dynamics to the existing interchange, with successful results in both cases.

An excellent instance of our joint efforts lies in the Iberian International Nanotechnology Laboratory, which Your Highnesses visited today, and which I had the honour to open jointly with His Majesty King Dom Juan Carlos, in 2009, a forefront project that already asserts itself as an institution of reference in that area of research.

Royal Highnesses,
Illustrious guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

In this task of making 21st Century Portugal better known to the World, on which I have placed a personal endeavour, I am well aware that we can count upon excellent allies. And at this time, I must invoke the unique role that His Majesty King Dom Juan Carlos has played in this area, due certainly to his special links with our Country.

I trust that, when you leave Portugal, where we want you to feel at home, Your Highnesses will equally be cast amongst the more enthusiastic promoters of the deep awareness and of an increased understanding between our two Peoples and Countries.
It is in this spirit of trust that I ask you all to join me in a toast to the health and happiness of Their Majesties and Your Royal Highnesses, to the excellence of the relations between our countries and to the strengthening of the fraternal bonds the link our peoples.