[PT] Message to France

[Bruno]

SECRET & CLASSIFIED

To:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of France Dutchy
From: Luís Amado, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Portuguese Republic
Subject: Confirmation of Defence Licensing Agreement and Final Payment Tranche

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Your Excellencies,

On behalf of the Government of the Portuguese Republic, I extend my sincere congratulations on the restoration of constitutional governance in France. We trust that this moment marks a renewed chapter of stability and cooperation for the French Republic and its partners across Europe.

In light of recent developments, I am writing to reaffirm Portugal’s ongoing commitment to the defence licensing agreement established between our two nations prior to the institutional interruption in your administration. Under this agreement, Portugal secured a 15-year exclusive access license to French-designed military equipment and associated technologies, covering both land and naval systems, including but not limited to the Rafale airframes, Mistral-class amphibious ships, and other strategic systems that remain vital to our national defence posture.

To date, Portugal has already transferred most of the amount under this framework as agreed, fulfilling the initial licensing fees stipulated in our mutual accord. The remaining €5 billion, representing the final tranche of our 15-year access agreement, is earmarked and ready for disbursement upon formal confirmation and continuity of the original licensing terms by your Ministry.

Given the strategic depth of our previous great relationship and alliance alongside the investments already made by Portugal in integration, training, and maintenance infrastructure for French platforms, we strongly encourage your administration to honour the standing agreement. Its continuity is essential not only to the operational readiness of our Armed Forces but also to the broader security and defence collaboration we envision between Lisbon and Paris.

We are available to dispatch a senior technical and diplomatic delegation to Paris at your earliest convenience to reconfirm all documentation, discuss any necessary adjustments, and reaffirm our mutual defence interests moving forward.

Let me once again express Portugal’s solidarity with the people of France, and our enduring belief in the Franco-Portuguese partnership as a cornerstone of stability and strategic autonomy in Europe.

Please accept, Excellencies, the assurances of my highest consideration.

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Luís Amado
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Portuguese Republic
Palácio das Necessidades, Lisbon

 

[Dutchy]

MINISTÈRE DES AFFAIRES ÉTRANGÈRES
CABINET DE MINISTRE​

PRIVATE

Luís Amado
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Portuguese Republic

Paris, March 2007​

Your Excellency,

On behalf of the President and the Prime Minister, I wish to extend our heartfelt thanks for your kind words. We take great pride in France’s return to its rightful standing as a republic of the people, by the people - a beacon of liberty, equality, and fraternity.

I have had the referenced agreement retrieved from the archives, and it appears that a number of discrepancies will require discussion. In particular, that the terms state a 10-year period; rather than the 15-year period you mentioned.

As this government is committed to reaffirming the enduring bonds between the French and Portuguese Republics. In that spirit, I have the honor to extend to you a cordial invitation to Paris. I hope to not only to review the terms of the licensing agreement, but also to explore broader avenues of mutually beneficial cooperation.

I hope you will be able to meet with me at your earliest convenience.

Yours sincerely,

Thierry Chevrolet
Minister of Foreign Affairs​

Digital Diplomatic Correspondence​

Bruno

 

[Bruno]

To: Thierry Chevrolet Minister of Foreign Affairs Dutchy
From: Luís Amado Minister of Foreign Affairs

Your Excellency,

I wish to thank you most sincerely for your gracious letter, and for the spirit of fraternity and cooperation with which it was written.

Allow me to clarify that the reference to a 15-year period in my previous correspondence was the result of a clerical error on our side. Indeed, we fully acknowledge that the original agreement establishes a 10-year term. I regret any confusion this may have caused.

In order to advance our dialogue in the most constructive manner, the Government of the Portuguese Republic has decided that the Minister of National Defence will personally travel to Paris to meet with you. This will allow us not only to address the licensing agreement in detail, but also to deepen the wider strategic partnership that unites Portugal and France. We remain convinced that our nations, bound by history and common values, stand to gain greatly from closer cooperation in the years ahead. We would also like to formally re-establish our precious alliance, made during the previous administration.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.
Luís Amado
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Portuguese Republic

SECRET & CLASSIFED

 

[Dutchy]

MINISTÈRE DES AFFAIRES ÉTRANGÈRES
CABINET DE MINISTRE​

PRIVATE

Luís Amado
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Portuguese Republic

Paris, March 2007​

Your Excellency,

I wish to extend my sincere appreciation for your gracious reply affirming our mutual intnntion to re-kindle the bonds between our nations.

The correction regarding the duration of the agreement is duly noted, and I thank you for addressing the matter with candor.

It is with genuine pleasure that I welcome the decision of the Minister of National Defence to travel to Paris. I kindly request that your embassy coordinate the travel arrangements with my office, so that we can ensure that the Minister’s arrival proceeds seamlessly.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Yours sincerely,

Thierry Chevrolet
Minister of Foreign Affairs​

Digital Diplomatic Correspondence​

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The meeting between the French Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Portuguese Minister of National Defence was swiftly entered into the official calendar. In coordination with the Ministry of the Armed Forces, it was decided that the Delegate General of the General Directorate of Armaments, Henri Ruben, would attend in order to represent the ministry’s position on the matter of the licensing agreement.

The arrival of the Portuguese Minister was carefully overseen by the Protocol Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Upon landing at Charles de Gaulle Airport, the delegation was met by a senior protocol officer who facilitated their expedited passage through customs and immigration. From there, the Minister and his delegation were escorted to a waiting convoy of vehicles, which transported them directly to the Quai d’Orsay. A conference room had been prepared, the Portuguese flag displayed on one side of the room, and the French tricolour opposite.

As the delegation is escorted into the room, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Thierry Chevrolet, stepped forward with a warm smile to greet the Minister of National Defence. After exchanging courtesies, he introduced Henri Ruben as the Delegate General of the General Directorate of Armaments. Having completed the introductions, Chevrolet invited the Portuguese delegation to take their seats at the table before sitting down himself.

Bruno

 

[Bruno]

Your Excellency,

Portugal deeply values the opportunity to renew and strengthen our bonds with France, and it is with equal pleasure that I confirm the commitment of the Portuguese Government to this shared endeavor. I am delighted that our Minister of National Defence, Augusto Santos Silva, will soon travel to Paris to meet with your esteemed colleagues. Our Embassy will coordinate with your office to ensure all arrangements are in order for his arrival.

Yours sincerely,

Luís Amado
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Portuguese Republic

SECRET & CLASSIFED

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The Portuguese Minister of National Defence Augusto Santos Silva, touched down at Charles de Gaulle Airport his delegation consisted of senior officials from the Ministry of National Defence, two senior officers from the Portuguese Navy and Air Force, and representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After these formalities, both sides moved into the conference room. A polished oak table was set with folders, documents, and refreshments. The Portuguese flag stood opposite the French tricolour, symbolizing the renewal of dialogue. As the delegations took their seats, the atmosphere in the room was one of cautious optimism.

“Portugal wishes to reaffirm its strategic partnership with France. Our interests in defence cooperation remain strong, and we are determined to resolve the licensing question with mutual respect and transparency.”

 

[Dutchy]

Taking their seats, Minister Chevrolet and Delegate General Ruben listened attentively as the Portuguese Minister of National Defence opened the discussions.

When it was his turn to speak, the Foreign Minister began: “On behalf of the Government of the French Republic, I wish to reaffirm the fraternal bonds between our two nations. It seems prudent that we first address the outstanding issues surrounding the licensing agreement before turning to other matters of cooperation.

The agreement in question, signed and ratified under the previous monarchist regime, may be considered legally valid, or so our lawyers advise. Yet, the license as it stands runs contrary to several national arms control regulations. This leaves us in a difficult position. To honour the agreement risks breaching domestic law, while rejecting it risks violating international commercial law. In the present state of affairs, it is unfortunately the latter that appears the more fragile.

Allow me to outline the principal concerns. First, French arms exports require the government to issue export licenses for military equipment, which this blanket production license does not adequately address. Second, the financial installments made under the agreement were mismanaged by the monarchist regime, and their benefits never reached the French people. It would be difficult, if not impossible, to justify to our society that we must uphold an agreement whose proceeds were squandered by a corrupt and self-serving government. Third, there remains a fundamental difference between the production of armoured vehicles, such as the Véhicule de l’Avant Blindé, and the most advanced systems, such as the Mirage 2000. For this reason, I have asked Delegate General Ruben to provide a brief overview of what we know has been produced under the license so far.

At this, Ruben opened a folder and read from its contents: “According to our records, production to date includes one Charles de Gaulle–class aircraft carrier and two Triomphant-class submarines. Minister Silva, could you confirm whether this information is correct, and whether any other systems have been produced under the terms of the agreement?”

Following the response of the Portuguese Minister Chevrolet continued. “Now, while I have laid out the difficulties we face, let me also propose a constructive path forward. I believe it is essential that our governments reach a mutual understanding to dissolve the so-called Franco-Portuguese Defence Partnership Agreement, which was concluded by the royalist regime. This treaty lacks legitimacy in the eyes of the French people and cannot serve as the foundation of our future defence cooperation.

Instead, I propose that we use this opportunity to draft a new framework, one that reflects the legitimacy of our present governments and the democratic will of our peoples. The framework will address at its core the licensing arrangements, but also extend to areas such as joint exercises, operational cooperation, and officer exchanges. On the matter of licensing, I would propose the following:

That our governments establish a joint venture company, to assume responsibility for the manufacture of military assets under the framework. Both France and Portugal contribute to the capitalisation of this entity, by investing the sum of the remaining installment. In this way, the funds that were previously promised to a corrupt and illegitimate arrangement are instead redirected into a structure that is transparent, accountable and ultimately beneficial to our peoples. I believe that this approach balances our national interests. Practically, it allows Portugal to place multi-annual orders with the joint venture. These orders would then be subject to the established procedures of French law preserving the sovereignty of France’s regulatory framework while ensuring Portugal enjoys reliable and predictable access to the equipment it requires. By placing orders with options it provides Portugal with flexibility to to confirm or defer specific orders according to its needs and budgetary circumstances.

In my view, this approach not only resolves the legal difficulties inherited from the previous regime but also creates a sustainable, cooperative path forward. It balances our mutual interests: for Portugal, the assurance of continuity in defence acquisition; for France, the guarantee that all transactions remain consistent with law and policy. Most importantly, it anchors our partnership in a spirit of mutual trust, accountability, and prosperity. In the long term, this venture could expand beyond the borders of our nations and become a leading entity in the European defence manufacturing.”

Allow me to stress that France does not seek to diminish what Portugal has already invested, but to ensure that our cooperation rests on a foundation both legitimate and sustainable. I believe that by renegotiating the terms on honest and equal footing, we can create an agreement worthy of the friendship and trust between our republics.

Minister, I am eager to hear your thoughts on this proposal. I understand that this will require further consulations between our government, but perhaps we can agree to establish technical working groups between the relevant ministries to further explore such an arrangement."

Chevrolet leaned forward slightly as he awaited the response from the Portuguese delegation.

Bruno