Panaji, Jan 11 (IANS): Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Wednesday said that he had asked Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa to "take care" of the Goan diaspora in the European nation.

"I have asked him to take care of our diaspora, who are 50,000 to 60,000 in number," Parsekar told reporters after his hour-long meeting with the Portuguese PM, who is the first head of government of a foreign country of Goan origin.

Parsekar also said that the common civil code in practice in Goa was gift of from the Portuguese administrators to Goa.

"We have age-old ties with Portugal. Our ties are ranging from almost 500 years. Of course after Liberation we have been doing well, but even then the common civil code has been a gift to this state by Portugal. Common civil code is practiced only in Goa and appreciated by other states," he said.

Goa was a Portuguese colony for 451 years before it was liberated by the Indian armed forces in 1961.

Costa arrived in Goa late on Tuesday on a three-day visit.