Egypt: Egypt breaks ties with Louvre Museum

Egypt has decided to bring to an end all cooperation with the Louvre Museum until it returns five ‘stolen’ Pharaonic steles, reports AFP. According to the Head of Egypt’s Antiquieties, Zahi Hawass, the French Museum bought the steles in 1980 disregarding the fact that they were stolen. The french premier museum responded it was open to the idea of returning the works, but stated that the decision is not the museum’s alone. “We would need the agreement of the National Scientific Commission for the Museum Collections of France,” a member of the Louvre’s executive told AFP on anomymity. The commision is expected to meet by the end of the week to discuss the matter.