The President of the Government assured today in Horta that the decontamination of soils on Terceira, resulting from the U.S. presence at Lajes Air Base, is a "top priority" of the Azorean Government at the Portugal/USA Bilateral Commission. In this context, he restated that we must address this environmental liability.
 
"We must address the result and this result (environmental liability) must be cleared away. Hence, this issue remains top priority of the Government at the Bilateral Commission," said Vasco Cordeiro at the Legislative Assembly.
 
Vasco Cordeiro stressed that "the position taken by the Azorean Government at the meetings of the Bilateral Commission defends that the United States has the responsibility to address the environmental liabilities resulting from the military presence on the island of Terceira."
 
In his speech, the President of the Government said the decontamination works have been monitored by the National Civil Engineering Laboratory, whose reports are known to the Legislative Assembly. However, the "evolution is not satisfactory and we must do more and better."
 
"Clearing the environmental liabilities left by U.S. military forces is neither the responsibility of the Regional Government nor of Azoreans," said Vasco Cordeiro. He restated that "the National Government will act according to its intent" in the relations between both countries. Nevertheless, this responsibility should be assumed by U.S. authorities.
 
Questioned about the recent statements made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the President of the Government considered that "there is a big difference between a socialist National Government and social democrat Government."
 
"When members of the National Government led by PS are alerted, also by the Regional Government, to the fact that they did not act correctly, they do what the Minister of Foreign Affairs did; he corrected his statements on the following day. The National Government led by PSD does not correct what its members say and insists on a distorted vision of Regional Autonomy," says Vasco Cordeiro.