Assembly urges increased efforts for return of cultural property.

Assembly Urges Increased Efforts for Return of Cultural Property

ON 25 November, the Assembly called for increased efforts to achieve the return or restitution of cultural property to the countries of origin. The vote on resolution 38/34 was 123 in favour to none against, with 13 abstentions (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States).

Under the resolution, the Assembly invited Member States to draw up, in co-operation with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), inventories of cultural property in their territory and their cultural property abroad; appealed for the conclusion of bilateral agreements for the return of such property; endorsed the view that the return of such property should be accompanied by the training of key personnel and the providing of facilities for conservation and presentation; and invited all States to ratify the Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property.

It also reaffirmed that restitution of such objects d'art contributed to the strengthening of international co-operation and the preservation of universal cultural values.

The Assembly also appealed to Member States to encourage the mass information media and educational and cultural institutions to work for greater and more general conscientiousness with regard to the return or restitution of cultural property to countries of origin.

UNESCO and the Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property to its Countries of Origin were commended for their work in various areas including development of infrastructures for the protection of movable cultural property and reduction of illicit traffic in cultural property.

Secretary-General's Report

The Assembly reviewed a report by the Secretary-General (document A/38/456) transmitting a report of the UNESCO Director-General on developments on the return or restitution of cultural property over the past two years. The report also contains the text of proposals by the UNESCO Executive Board to implement the Convention on the illicit movement of cultural property and six recommendations concerning the return of cultural property and reconstitution of historic monuments, made by the World Conference on Cultural Policies, held 26 July to 6 August 1982 in Mexico City.

In his...