Portugal backs Carter on Afghan condemnation

June 27, 1980

President Carter won support Thursday from Portugal for his condemnation of Soviet troops in Afghanistan and he lauded Europe's youngest democracy for being "among the first" to slap sanctions on Iran for the seizure of 53 US hostages. Mr. Carter hammered again at the central theme of his eight-day tour of southern Europe -- Afghanistan's freedom, which is "ruthlessly oppressed" and "callously attacked by the Soviet Union.

The President spent six hours in Portugal, then flew back to Washington to spend a long weekend at Camp David.