The
Egyptian cabinet's Information and Decision Support Center has denied media
reports that Egyptian pharaonic antiquities have been sold or smuggled to the
Louvre Abu Dhabi.
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| Louvre museum, designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, surrounded by sea water. The Louvre Abu Dhabi opens its doors to the public on November 11, 2017 |
Images
have been circulating on social media showing a number of Emirati officials
inspecting pharaonic antiquities inside the museum, raising speculation that
Egypt had given up the items.
The
ministry clarified that the antiquities pictured were from archaeological collections already in the Paris Louvre. The
Paris branch of the museum currently includes about 50,000 pieces in its
Egyptian collection, dating from 4,000 BC to the fourth century AD.
"Egypt
has no right to interfere to stop the antiquities from being presented based on
the law," the IDSC statement added, pointing that the acquisition of any
antiquities by international museums was "legal."
"The
antiquities were transferred outside the country legitimately before the
issuing of a 1983 law that banned the trade in antiquities," the IDSC
said, adding that prior to the passing of the law, countries that conducted
excavations in Egypt had the right to have a share in the antiquities found. This
is not the first series of denials by officials on the issue.
On
Monday, the head of the Egyptian museums department at the antiquities
ministry, Elham Saleh, denied the rumors that the Abu Dhabi items had been
smuggled out of Egypt, calling on the media to ensure the accuracy of their
reports.
Egypt
has been making efforts to retrieve smuggled artifacts from foreign countries. It
has called upon other countries to prevent illegal exchange, transfer, import
or re-export of antiquities within their territories. The Louvre Abu Dhabi is
the result of a 2007 agreement between the UAE and France.
