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DEMOCRACY AND FINANCIAL AID

The fragile political situation in Portugal and the needs expressed
by the Portuguese authorities led many European leaders and
Portuguese government officials to engage conversations

The first interim Government, which took office on May 16, 1974,
expressed its intention in “consolidating and intensifying the existing
relations” with the EU

The second interim government led by Vasco Gonçalves brought
more military to ministerial posts and started a left-leaning political turn

“gently apart and reticent” position regarding Europe / privileged
relationship with the Third World countries

During the spring of 1975, the Portuguese political situation
worsened

November 25 that year, a military coup would stop any further
left-wing progression towards communism

Prior to this, in June 1975, the Commission suggested an
economic and financial aid, so as to contribute to the country’s
economic development and democracy

Two different positions:
- for the USA the presence of communists in the government
wouldn’t be tolerated, but it wouldn’t intervene
- for the EU, the moderates should be helped, in view of a
political evolution towards parliamentary democracy

Brussels European Council (July 16-17, 1975), any EU aid should
be conditioned on the progress made towards pluralist democracy

The EU was willing to cooperate more with the country in economic
and financial areas, as long as Portugal became a democratic state

การอภิปรายรวมระหวางผูแทนจากตางประเทศ