State Department Clarifies US-Egypt MoU

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Further to my earlier attempts to help hasty ranting coiney buffoons (see here too) understand that one can have many types of Memoranda of Understanding about dealing with illicit antiquity movements, I post this statement which the Department of State has produced in response to the confusion being spread by certain parties in the collecting milieu (and the Cultural Property "Research Institute"):

"Potential Memorandum of Understanding between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Egypt's Ministry of State for Antiquities

The Department of State's Cultural Heritage Center has become aware that confusion exists concerning a potential MOU between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Egypt's Ministry of State for Antiquities. Such an agreement would differ from the type of MOU made under Article 9 of the 1970 UNESCO Convention for import restrictions on certain categories of cultural materials. The Department understands that the MOU presently under discussion by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement concerns information exchange and not import restrictions. If the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt requests an agreement pursuant to Article 9 of the 1970 UNESCO Convention, the Department of State would announce receipt of such a request in the Federal Register. This procedure is the only means currently available to a country wishing U.S. import restrictions on its cultural property."

As I said earlier, the US Administration must be getting heartily fed up with the antics of these dugup coin collectors wasting everybody's time when there are far more important issues to deal with.


Hat tip to Rick St Hilaire.