Saudi Arabia returns stolen Iraqi artifacts

Saudi Arabia's delivered 54 ancient Iraqi artifacts, stolen by Iraqi refugees during the Gulf War, to a United Nations organization.

The delivery of the Iraqi ancient artifacts to the bureau of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, in Doha was attended by the manager of the board of directors of the Arabian affairs in the Qatari Foreign Ministry Sayed al-Doainain, Saudi ambassador to Qatar Hamed Bin Salih al-Toeimi, Iraqi ambassador to Qatar Anwar Sabri Abd El-Razek, the regional representative of the United Nation's Higher Commission for Refugee Affairs in the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Sayed Abd El-Moha El- Soleh, and UNESCO's representative in Qatar, Ahmed Gamal Othman.

These artifacts represent the Ashurian and Chaldean eras in Iraq, and they were found in the possession of a group of Iraqi refugees during their preparations to leave for a European country which agreed to host them.

The Saudi ambassador said the artifacts were brought out of Iraq by Iraqi refugees and Saudi Arabia is committed to maintaining the cutural heritage of the region's countries.