Antiquities conference set for April
CAIRO: Egypt will host a conference in April for countries demanding the return of their antiquities, stolen but on display in museums round the world. Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities said last week that the conference will "discuss the question of returning stolen antiquities," the council said in a statement. It gave no dates for the three-day conference.
Thirty countries, including Greece, Mexico, Peru, Afghanistan, Iraq, Cambodia and China, will participate in the Cairo gathering, said Egypt's antiquities director Zahi Hawass, who has made the return of looted Egyptian artifacts the hallmark of his tenure.
"Officials from these countries will discuss taking action internationally to support efforts to return stolen antiquities to their countries of origin... and exhibited in certain museums and showrooms around the world," Hawass said. The conference aims to work out "specific recommendations" and draw up a list of the antiquities claimed by each participating country.
AFP
(China Daily 01/12/2010 page10)
