Press release - issued from UK Department of Culture, Media & Sport this
afternoon.


Patrick Boylan

===============================

Department for Culture, Media and Sport 2-4 Cockspur Street London SW1Y 5DH 
www.culture.gov.uk  73/01 14 March 2001 

GOVERNMENT SIGNS UP TO UNESCO CONVENTION - HOWARTH: 'IMPORTANT STEP TO 
TACKLE UK'S ILLICIT ART AND ANTIQUITIES TRADE' 

The UK's signing of an international agreement to protect cultural 
property was today welcomed by Arts Minister Alan Howarth, as an important 
step in tackling the illicit trade in art and antiquities. He announced 
that the Government is to sign up to the 1970 United Nations Educational, 
Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Convention on the Means of 
Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of 
Ownership of Cultural Property. 

The UNESCO Convention gives members the right to recover stolen 
antiquities, primarily ancient and religious artefacts, which surface 
in the countries of fellow signatories. 

Speaking at the Institute of Field Archaeologists conference, Mr Howarth 
said: 

"Britain has the second largest art market in the world, worth 
around £4.5bn in 1999, of which the antiquities market generated £15m. 
This market generally operates in an honourable way. However, last spring, 
responding to increasing anxiety notably among archaeologists, I set up 
an advisory panel under Professor Norman Palmer to examine the extent of 
the UK's role in illicit trade in stolen antiquities. His report showed 
a disturbing level of trafficking occurring in this country, with 132
cases dealt with by London's Interpol unit in 1999 and approximately 
30 seizures of cultural goods every year by Customs and Excise. 

"Acceding to the UNESCO Convention was recommended by the Advisory Panel 
on Illicit Trade. I am delighted that we will now implement this 
recommendation and join the international community in concerted action 
to deal with the scandal of this illicit trade. This news will send out 
a powerful signal to those who do so much damage to the world's cultural 
heritage that the UK takes its responsibilities very seriously and is 
determined to act effectively." 

Outlining future action, Mr Howarth continued: 

"The signing of the Convention is undoubtedly an important step but there 
are more to come. We will be monitoring the export licensing system more 
closely, as the Panel recommended. My department is also working closely 
with the Home Office to examine the feasibility of establishing a database 
of stolen and illegally removed cultural property. These actions will make 
life much more difficult for the minority of dealers who choose to besmirch 
their profession and trade illicitly." 

Welcoming the announcement, Professor Palmer said: 

"I am delighted to learn that the UK has signed up to the UNESCO 
Convention. This commitment is in full accord with the recommendations 
of the Advisory Panel on Illicit Trade in its report to the Minister 
last December. In acceding to the Convention, the United Kingdom not 
only signals its commitment to the proper treatment of works of art and 
antiquities across the world, but joins 91 other nations in this endeavour. 
The UK's participation will, I believe, be seen as a milestone in the 
progress of the Convention." 

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