In comments to journalists outside a bookstore in New York, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa stated that the “fundamental reason” for his meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan, on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, “is the Portuguese candidacy for the Security Council.”
“Obviously, we will also talk about the situation in the Middle East. I had sent an invitation for a state visit to Portugal. At the moment, it is not very easy due to the situation in the Middle East, but we will see if it’s still during my term, which ends in March, or during my successor’s term,” he added.
His meeting with the King of Jordan takes place on the same day that the Minister of State and Foreign Affairs, Paulo Rangel, will make the formal declaration of recognition of the State of Palestine at the permanent mission of Portugal to the United Nations.
Regarding the Portuguese candidacy for one of the non-permanent member seats on the UN Security Council for 2027-2028, which will be elected in 2026, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa noted that “Portugal has a difficult competition with Germany and Austria.”
“We are three for two [seats]. And we started very well, a long time ago, but we started in 2013. It’s an eternity,” commented the head of state.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa considered that, in this context, the meeting with the King of Jordan “is very important because it is an influential country.”
[News updated at 17:05]
