Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
New York Times
April 30, 2008 By Lawrence Van Gelder
Golden necklaces, daggers, clay statues and pots were among more than 700 antiquities, including the one above, returned this week to the National Museum of Iraq by Syria, where they were seized from traffickers after being looted in the chaos that followed the United States-led invasion five years ago, The Associated Press reported. “This was a positive initiative taken by Syria, and we wish the same initiative to be taken by all neighboring countries,” said Mohammad Abbas al-Oreibi, Iraq’s acting state minister of tourism and archaeology, who led the negotiations with Syria. He said he planned to visit Jordan soon to seek the return of more than 150 items. Dr. Muna Hassan, who heads a committee working to restore the artifacts, said similar discussions were in progress with the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Germany and Italy. Between 3,000 and 7,000 items are believed to be missing, Laurent Levi-Strauss, a Unesco culture official, said last month. Syria said it arrested some of the traffickers but did not provide details. The National Museum, in Baghdad, remains closed to the public as a result of its poor condition and a lack of security.
April 30, 2008 By Lawrence Van Gelder
Golden necklaces, daggers, clay statues and pots were among more than 700 antiquities, including the one above, returned this week to the National Museum of Iraq by Syria, where they were seized from traffickers after being looted in the chaos that followed the United States-led invasion five years ago, The Associated Press reported. “This was a positive initiative taken by Syria, and we wish the same initiative to be taken by all neighboring countries,” said Mohammad Abbas al-Oreibi, Iraq’s acting state minister of tourism and archaeology, who led the negotiations with Syria. He said he planned to visit Jordan soon to seek the return of more than 150 items. Dr. Muna Hassan, who heads a committee working to restore the artifacts, said similar discussions were in progress with the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Germany and Italy. Between 3,000 and 7,000 items are believed to be missing, Laurent Levi-Strauss, a Unesco culture official, said last month. Syria said it arrested some of the traffickers but did not provide details. The National Museum, in Baghdad, remains closed to the public as a result of its poor condition and a lack of security.