Jose Turin, the Spanish ambassador to Iraq, announced today that his government is buying all Iraqi stolen antiques in Spain "and those within the government" and returning them to Iraq as a present from the Spanish government. The Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Dr. Liwa' Smaisim "disclosed that 36 Iraqi antiquities are available in Spanish auctions and two in the Spanish government" (eh?). According to the statement, the Spanish ambassador confirmed that his country is trying to buy these antiquities and return them as a present to the Iraqi government. The ambassador, according to the statement, expressed the readiness of his country "to train Iraqi Ministry's cadres, because Spain is one of the developed countries in this field.well, not if this is the only way they can stop illegally exported items from being sold on their open market they are not. Buying them back is just putting money into those who deal with the criminals who exported them. A bigger present - not only to Iraq - would be catching the people trading in stolen antiquities and punishing them.
Vignette: International cultural cooperation, Spanish-Iraqi friendship.
Aswat al-Iraq, 'Spain to return Iraqi antiquities gratis - Ambassador', 20th June 2011.
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