Portugal's PM, opposition leader not rule out military intervention against Islamic state

Portugal's Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho and main opposition Socialist Party leader Antonio Costa both said they don't rule out possible military action against the Islamic state on Thursday.

"It has to be assessed concretely and not here. There are appropriate bodies. But we cannot exclude completely some kind of participation," said Costa during a broadcast debate before Portugal's general elections on October 4.

Passos Coelho said a military solution could worsen the situation but that a decision could be taken at an international level.

Both politicians said they regretted the current refugee crisis, with Passos Coelho pointing out that people received in Europe should be treated in "conditions of dignity and safety" and said Europe should agree to receive more refugees.

Costa said the situation "proved that the European Union is incomplete" adding that one of Europe's values was the "recognition of human dignity."

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has called for a united European emergency response as some states, like Hungary, limit access to refugees at their borders.

The EU has agreed to distribute 160,000 refugees throughout member states but interior ministers have failed to reach an agreement and the crisis is accelerating with many countries claiming they cannot deal with such an influx and putting up borders. Endit