Lebanon re-raised smuggled mostly Iraqi coins to Iraq (PFP)

Announced Lebanese Culture Minister Gaby Lyon on Friday, for the return of Lebanon smuggled Iraqi Antiquities includes mostly historic coins to Iraq, while pointed out that this procedure comes according to Lebanon's commitment to international conventions.

The news agency reported the Kuwaiti news briefed him (range Press), "The reports quoted by local Lebanese confirmed that Lebanon is re-effects to Iraq contraband includes mostly coins historical busted last year with one of the Iraqi citizens while trying to smuggle them to Beirut."

The agency said that "the Lebanese Minister of Culture stressed that this procedure was according to Lebanon's commitment to the terms and relevant international conventions and had to fight against the smuggling of cultural and historical property countries."

And exposed Iraqi antiquities to a wider process of looting in the year 2003 after the US-led war on Iraq, which led to the disappearance of thousands of artifacts are priceless, from the National Museum in Baghdad and other locations across the country, and regained Iraq early 2010 last about 1046 pieces from the United States was among the many pieces fled at various times illegally, has been selling cylinder back to civilization Sumerian 0.3150 BC, at auction Christie's auction, was stolen in the aftermath of the first Gulf War in 1991, has also been monitoring the smuggling of the effects of National Museum during the year 2008 referred to the report of the Office of Financial Supervision at the time, knowing that the smuggling operations still exist, particularly in remote areas that lack of government protection.

The number of archaeological sites in Iraq up to more than 12 thousand site, includes traces back to the periods of different time, these sites do not find adequate protection in terms not available to these sites only (4000) Guard, untrained and is equipped enough to complete the process fully guard, which made many of these places vulnerable to theft to this day

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

"the Lebanese Minister of Culture stressed that this procedure was according to Lebanon's commitment to the terms and relevant international conventions and had to fight against the smuggling of cultural and historical property countries."

Yea Right!