NT Staff Reporter

Panaji, June 10: The Portugal ambassador to India, Dr Joaquim Ferreira Marques said that Portugal could become a link for India connecting it to the rest of the Europe and Brazil as well, and said a tripartite treaty between India, Portugal and Brazil could be inked in.

Speaking to The Navhind Times, Dr Marques said: “A possible tripartite treaty between India, Portugal and Brazil in this respect could also help all these countries in making optimum use of their tourism potential.”

He observed that tourism was one sector in which Portugal and India, especially Goa, could have fruitful interaction. “Although both countries can carry on mutual exchange in other spheres like economy and trade, tourism remains a lucrative area which can generate business for us,” he mentioned.

“The population of Portugal is 10 million, while around 14 million tourists visited the country this season. I see that Goa today has the same potential in tourism, which was witnessed by Portugal during the initial years of its tourist trade,” he added and expressed admiration for Goa’s beaches and ancient monuments.

Dr Marques said the Portuguese tourists, who usually visited Cuba or Dominican Republic, could be herded to Goa with little efforts. “After all, the Portuguese citizens carry warm and affectionate feelings about Goa in their hearts. They have great respect for this land,” the Portuguese ambassador to India remarked.

Speaking about the import and export of food products between India and Portugal, he said that certain restrictions on the import of wines by India, including high duties, would not make it a viable proposition. “A wine bottle costing around 5 Euros in Portugal may cost 50 Euros — of course after the currency conversion — after the bottle is imported by India,” he opined.

He said nationals of Portugal, especially Goans and those from Gujarati community residing in Lisbon in large numbers, loved Indian food and its export to Portugal would be beneficial for India.

Earlier in the day, the Portuguese ambassador was the chief guest at celebrations commemorating the National Day of Portugal organised by the Portuguese Consulate in Goa.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Marques said the links between Portugal and Goa were not only confined to culture and monuments existing in the state, but also people-to-people ties between Portugal and Goa.

“Portugal was a financially weak country, but its association with the European Union has improved the situation, with Portugal undergoing huge socio-economic transformation,” he mentioned, pointing out that the present Portugal belonged to the rising Europe.

The Consul General of Portugal in Goa, Dr Miguel de Calheiros Velozo, in his speech, said that India and Portugal had corresponding values including democracy. He also stressed on the need to have more cultural and social projects between the two countries.