Thursday, August 2, 2007

Portuguese Cool on Union

Saramago's recent comments have received a cool reception in his homeland.

Portuguese Foreign Office Minister, Luís Amado, said that the idea of Iberian union was more of a fictional scenario than a possibility. "The problem is not relations between Spain and Portugal, the problem is who is going to govern these relations."

Meanwhile, singer and actor Zeca Medeiros pointed out "Spain now has Saramago but Portugal doesn't."*

Last September the weekly paper O Sol published a survey which found only 28% of Portuguese were in favour of a single Iberian nation. However, at the same time, 97% of those questioned said union with Spain would be of economic benefit.

Journalist Joao Céu e Silva points out that Saramago's comments have received a lot of attention in the international press while in Portugal itself they have been largely ignored.

*The author lives in Lanzarote.

Summarised Translation from La Voz de Galicia.

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