NATO boss congratulates government for prioritising transatlantic relations

NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, on Thursday congratulated Portugal on its future presidency of the Council of the EU and on having identified the transatlantic relationship as a priority.

In a joint press conference with Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa, the Secretary General of the Alliance also stressed that “no country” can deal with the current challenges “alone”.

“The challenges we face today are too great for any nation or organisation to solve them alone, and the transatlantic relationship remains vital for Europe’s security,” Stoltenberg stressed.

He also thanked the Portuguese Prime Minister for “his strong personal commitment to NATO” and for his “leadership” in “difficult times”.

The Secretary-General of the organisation also thanked the Portuguese Prime Minister for “his strong personal commitment to NATO” and for his “leadership” in “difficult times”.

“Portugal has been an important ally since the founding of NATO, contributing to our shared security and collective defence in very different ways,” Stoltenberg stressed.

Among the issues discussed by the two leaders, Stoltenberg stressed the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan, underlining that the Alliance will face “difficult decisions in the coming months” on the military presence in the country, and welcoming Portugal’s commitment in the region.

“Your troops have contributed for many years to ensuring that the country cannot again become a safe haven for international terrorists”, Mr Stoltenberg stressed.

António Costa announced that he had invited Jens Stoltenberg to visit Portugal and inaugurate the Alliance’s cyber-security academy in Lisbon, which although operational, awaits an official inauguration.