US funds to help recover Iraqi antiquities

The US Department Of State said yesterday that the US has allotted a sum of 2 million dollars to help in protecting and renovating the Iraqi archaeological sites and museums which were destroyed and looted following the American occupation of Iraq.

In a statement, the department said that the money will be used in particular in searching for the monuments and masterpieces looted from Baghdad's museum after the entry of the American forces into Baghdad.

The statements added that these assets will be also used to support the efforts of the International Council for Museums to catalog the looted Iraqi antiquities. A matter which makes it easy to identify the stolen items.