The relevance of Portugal having signed up, a little over a week ago, to a group “ready to help open the Strait of Hormuz” is now becoming clear: with the United States poised to ‘quit the war’ with the Strait still effectively ‘closed’ to unfettered maritime navigation, the United Kingdom has stepped in to announce an international meeting.
That meeting will not involve bombs, missiles or threats of total obliteration: it will seek to “evaluate all the viable diplomatic and political measures” to reinstate safe commercial navigation, on which much of the world’s commerce relies.
And among the countries supporting this initiative is Portugal.
The UK’s decision will be seen by many as the ‘grown up’ solution, in contrast to the option, floated by President Trump over social media, that countries should “build up some delayed courage, go the Strait, and just TAKE IT”. (The president ended his clearly ill-tempered post, telling countries affected by the Hormuz hiatus to “Go get your own oil…”)
British prime minister Keir Starmer has decided there is another way – and thus the meeting, due to take place later this week.
The idea is to lay the groundwork for interventions to begin as soon as the fighting has stopped.
Britain’s Labour leader admitted yesterday that none of this will be ‘easy’. After a meeting with energy and shipping bosses, he said that “they were clear with me, the primary challenge they face is not one of insurance, but one of safety and security of passage. So the fact is, we need all of this together – a united front of military strength and diplomatic activity, partnership with industry, so they too can mobilise once the fighting has stopped, and, above all, clear and calm leadership. That is what this country is ready to provide.”
The meeting will very possibly go forwards remotely, given that there are so many countries involved: the original declaration that began this group went on to include 30 countries, including Portugal, and since then others have followed.
Source material: LUSA/ Guardian
