Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy and Swiss Interior Minister Alain Berset signed an Agreement on the Prevention of Illegal Import and Transit Passage of Archaeological Cultural Heritage and its Return.
Speaking at the signing ceremony held at the Anatolian Civilizations Museum, Minister Ersoy stated that Turkey meticulously focuses on the protection of cultural assets and their transfer to the future.
Emphasizing that the agreement will make it possible to return the cultural assets identified by the Swiss authorities to Turkey, Ersoy said:
“Although the most striking point of such agreements focuses on the return of works, I also see this agreement as a preventive measure. The fact that artifacts of Anatolian origin will no longer be able to enter Switzerland will prevent the development of a possible black market.”
Artifact smuggling networks will weaken
Stating that the agreement will weaken the artifact smuggling networks, Ersoy said, “Every time these illegal networks try to change the market, they will get the necessary response within the scope of international cooperation through our bilateral agreements with countries such as Bulgaria, Romania, Iran, Serbia, the USA and now Switzerland.” he said.
Swiss Interior Minister Alain Berset also noted that his country is firmly committed to the fight against cultural property smuggling. Berset stated that the agreement will strengthen the foundations between the two countries.
Stating that Switzerland renews its financial support for the protection of cultural heritage in its own country every year, Berset emphasized that with this agreement, Turkey will be considered as the priority state in financial aid for the protection of cultural assets.
After the speeches, the two ministers who signed the agreement then toured the museum.
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