Sri Lanka and Portugal have agreed to establish a joint committee to examine the repatriation of ancient artefacts taken from the island during the Portuguese colonial era.
The decision was reached during bilateral talks between Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath and visiting Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo.
Rangel stated that the proposal to return historically significant items was acceptable and confirmed that a joint committee would carry out a preliminary study. The two ministers also discussed activating existing cultural agreements to support and streamline the repatriation process.
In addition, the discussions focused on challenges faced by Sri Lankans in obtaining Portuguese visas, which currently require applicants to travel to New Delhi. Vijitha Herath proposed introducing a more accessible mechanism, and Rangel assured that the matter would be reviewed.
