In a landmark diplomatic meeting, Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel and Sri Lankan Minister Vijitha Herath have agreed to establish a joint committee to study the return of historical artefacts taken from Sri Lanka during Portuguese rule. Minister Rangel described the restitution request as reasonable, noting that both nations will activate existing cultural agreements to facilitate formal discussions on these high-value items.
The dialogue also addressed modern bilateral challenges, specifically the difficulty Sri Lankans face in obtaining Portuguese visas via New Delhi. Minister Rangel pledged to explore a more convenient mechanism to ease this process. Furthermore, the ministers discussed expanding cooperation in trade, renewable energy, and tourism, while Minister Herath expressed gratitude for Portugal’s emergency relief following the recent Ditwah cyclone.
