Armenia and Greece to combat illicit trade in cultural property

ArmInfo.  On November 20, at a regular meeting, the Armenian government approved the ratification of the Agreement between Armenia and the Government of the Hellenic Republic on the Prevention of the Theft, Illegal Excavation, Illegal Import, Export, and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property and on its Return to the Countries of Origin.

As stated in the explanatory note to the document, the Agreement will  take the necessary measures to combat the theft, illicit excavation,  illicit import, export, transit, and transfer of ownership of  cultural property in accordance with the 1970 UNESCO Convention on  the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export,  and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, international  conventions, and relevant national legislation.

Information will be exchanged on incidents and facts of theft,  illegal excavations, illegal import, export, transit, or transfer of  ownership of cultural property of interest, as well as on  confiscations, auctions, and sales. Exchange and training programs  for specialists in the prevention of illicit movement, restitution,  and return of cultural property to their countries of origin are  planned.

The agreement will provide the opportunity to assist in the  identification and return of cultural property illegally removed from  each other's territory, in accordance with applicable laws and  international conventions and agreements.