Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Portugal’s president, finished his trip to Germany today and commented to following press that it has all gone awfully well, in fact far better than he expected.
The president said that he is happy with Germany’s understanding of the position Portugal is in and that his meetings with Chancellor Angela Merkel, the German President, Joachim Gauck and the president of the Bundestag, Norbert Lammert left him feeling optimistic.
"I leave here with the clear notion that there is a great understanding with what is happening in Portugal and there is a great openness and spirit of cooperation," said Rebelo de Sousa who was "very satisfied" after his talks with Angela Merkel.
"I'm satisfied with what I felt and what I heard from Chancellor Angela Merkel, and so I think it was worth the visit, very well worth the visit...The Chancellor is monitoring and tracking what is going on in Portugal. She well understands what is happening," said the affable president.
During his visit, Rebelo de Sousa met the German President, Joachim Gauck, the president of the Bundestag, Norbert Lammert, and Merkel, and "everything went very well."
Rebelo de Sousa said that Merkel was able, "on the one hand, to understand the Portuguese situation, to recognise the merit of the Portuguese in a particularly difficult period, and at the same time to show a willingness to strengthen partnership and collaboration between Germany and Portugal."
Asked about the issue of Portuguese banks and the recapitalisation of Caixa Geral de Depósitos, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa declined to say what was discussed and that the problem is down to the European Commission, not the German Chancellor, and that he saw “no reason to be pessimistic about this hypothesis, no reason."
As for Merkel showing any unease over Portugal’s parlous financial state, the president said that he had seen no sign of concern from Chancellor Angela Merkel in relation to Portugal, only “signs of understanding, not of concern, but understanding."