Egyptian Minister of Culture Farouq Hosny decided the travel of an Egyptology archeology delegation under chairmanship of Chairman of Egyptian Archeology Sector Sabry Abdul Aziz and Upper Egypt Monuments Director Mansour Brik to U.S.A. for inspecting and examining a set of Pharaonic antiquities that were seized by the American Security bodies at San Francisco city.
The Minister of Culture, who left Cairo earlier today Thursday in a medical treatment trip in France, said that the Egyptian delegation will carry out all procedures for verifying that seized pieces are of monumental value and the illegal means of transferring these pieces from Egypt, in preparation for returning them to homeland, as it is a huge diversified collection that are regarded as a monumental treasure.
On his part the Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Antiquities Dr. Zahi Hawas stated that he received a letter from the Egyptian embassy in Washington informed him that they received notification from the American Security Bodies at the city of San Francisco concerning the seizing a collection of the rare pharaonic pieces displayed in one of auction halls.
Dr. Hawas said that immediately the Minister of Culture was notified to speed up sending an artistic and Egyptology committee from Egypt to inspect the seized pieces and verify its archeological and historical value, in addition to carrying out necessary investigations to prove its originality and trace its registration in the Egyptian regions or Museums.
Dr. Zahi Hawas confirmed that in case of proving monumental value of these pieces and that such pieces went out of Egypt illegally the American side will be demanded to immediately return them to Egypt trough diplomatic means.
If the demand was received with rejection we would resort to the legal means through filing a legal suit in front of the ad hoc U.S. court, in addition to a set of procedures and other pressure means; foremost of which stopping the scientific and archeological cooperation with the museum or the university that the person or body involved in robbery are affiliating to.
