Draft Accord Commits Turkey to Return Smuggled Artifacts - CAIS Archaeological & Cultural News of Iran©

LONDON, (CAIS) -- Turkey and Iran are to sign an agreement which will bind the two governments to return the artifacts which have been smuggled out of either country, reported Persian Service of CHN.

Legal experts from Iran’s Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) drafted the agreement which is due to take effect after it has been signed by respective Turkish officials.

A lawyer for the organization Maryam Taheri said that negotiations have been held with Turkish officials on the subject and Iran sought guarantees from the Turkish government to repatriate the artifacts and cultural heritage pieces which were smuggled to Turkey from Iran.

She said that the draft agreement has been drawn up in line with the international conventions of the United Nations in 1970 and 1995 and annexations to it.

She said that ICHTO would follow up the issue in line with United Nations conventions to sign similar agreements with other countries as well.

Taheri said that negotiations on the issue are underway with other countries in the region on the repatriation of the smuggled cultural heritage from Iran and vice versa. Iran will also undertake such commitments to the signatory states of the conventions and the bilateral agreement.

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