Ambassador Sherman and Defense Minister José Alberto Azeredo Lopes met January 19 at São Julião Fort in Oeiras to discuss the full spectrum of the U.S.-Portugal bilateral security and defense agenda. At the conclusion of the meeting, Sherman and Azeredo Lopes signed the Agreement between the United States of America and the Portuguese Republic on Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue. This SAR agreement will strengthen already existing cooperation in the field of maritime and aeronautical search and rescue, and will enhance effectiveness in assisting persons in distress. The maritime Search and Rescue region delimitation spans almost 1900 nautical miles of the North Atlantic Ocean. Ambassador Sherman noted during the signing ceremony that “this agreement is a mechanism for saving lives, the highest aim of any bilateral or multilateral search and rescue agreement.” The Ambassador also highlighted that one of the two rescue coordination centers for the United States will be in his hometown of Boston.
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