Portugal recognizes Kosovo
The Portuguese government has officially recognized Kosovo’s unilateral independence, becoming the 48th country in the world to do so
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Wednesday, October 08, 2008
"It is in the interests today of the Portuguese state to officially recognize Kosovo," Amado told members of the Parliamentary Committee for Foreign Affairs.
Portuguese officials had told KosovoCompromise last week that Lisbon was under pressure from the US to recognize Kosovo following a recent visit by US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.
This claim has been proven by Amado's statement that the decision would help "strengthen the links between the EU and NATO".
He added that there had been "changes in a geo-political context" following the Russo-Georgian conflict and Moscow's decision to recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
"Acknowledging the legality of its decision, Russia directly acknowledged the legality of Kosovo's independence too," said the minister.
