It's Another Conspiracy.

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The news that a long-overdue ICOM Red List on Egyptian antiquities at risk was in production was met over in US collecting circles with another "Washington Conspiracy" theory ('State Department Commissions Egyptian "Red List:" More Evidence of A Done Deal?'). I bet that comes to a huge surprise to everybody. Apparently the US government is suspected by certain parties of being: "busily at work stage managing a shadow process for imposing import restrictions on cultural goods". The American CPRI "has already made a FOIA request related to whether there is any done deal on and MOU with Egypt "However, to date that FOIA request has not been acted upon by the State Department". They must be getting heartily fed-up with dugup coin collectors and their Anti-American activities. Anyway, says one of them, "can't Egypt come up with their own list"? I expect it can, but making Red Lists is what ICOM does and making a petulant fuss is what coin dealers and their supporters do.

Vignette: One for the DoS office wall, larger resolution available.