ANGLO-PORTUGUEST RELATIONS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 27 May 1944, Page 5

ANGLO-PORTUGUEST RELATIONS

REVIEW BY DR SALAZAR London, May 25. In a speech at Lisbon dealing with British and Portuguese relations. Dr. Salazar. Prime Minister, said: “Britain so far has made three big requests:— <H Preservation of a zone of peace in the Iberian Peninsula. (2) Protection of Atlantic DOrts. (3) Facilities in the Azores. She has also—naturally and even with justice—asked for benevolent neutrality. It has been possible to I satisfy these requests. Why. therefore, do there still occur here and there signs of discontent? We must t»y to have a deep understanding of British reactions. Britain works, suffers and fights in an atmosphere of excitement created by the very gravity of the danger and the magnitude of the fight. We who live ! under a kindly and almost undeserved | peace can scarcely assess the material ; and moral sufferings, the pre-occupa-I tions and anxieties of the British, but we have understood the greatness of their example and the sensitiveness of their sorelv-tried minds to which delays. rejections and refusals and even

smaller things appear as a denial of justice. We for our part defend certain principles because firstly it is not easy to decide where political realism ends and lack of national conscience begins, and secondly we do not accept the law of war but seek to remain faithful to law and peace. The benefits of the British-Portuguese Alliance can only be of value to Britain if they are services rendered from a true ally. Any diminution of our autonomy, independence or any subservience could not serve the common cause. It cannot be expected that British and Portuguese relations should always continue without friction. On the contrary the multiplicity and importance of interests in a question sometimes demand long discussions which through mutual confidence can be frank and even lively without preiudice to friendship.”