"Visas inhibit mobility complicate business deals complicate the circulation of students of people of businesses and have an inhibiting effect" Ribeiro told journalists in a break from a seminar on international cooperation and language taking place at the headquarters of the Camões Institute, the state entity for the promotion of the Portuguese language.

According to Ribeiro the government intends "to go ahead with the support of its partners to make sure that certain barriers to mobility can be reduced". She recalled that a meeting of CPLP foreign ministers is due to tae place in the spring, and a CPLP summit in July.

Portugal would, she said, table proposals to ease travel between CPLP member states particularly for businesses and students. She stressed, however, that decisions in the CPLP are made by consensus.

The CPLP is made up of Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe and East Timor.