Iraqi minister meets with Dutch ambassador

Iraqi Minister of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities Feryad Rawanduzi expressed his hope Tuesday that the relations between Iraq and the Netherlands will witness further development in all fields, especially at the cultural, heritage and tourism levels, and that there will be new fields of cooperation.

This came during a meeting with Dutch Ambassador Mats Walters, at his official office in Baghdad. During the meeting, they discussed a number of cultural issues, including Iraq's participation in the exhibition of Iraqi antiquities in Netherlands. Rawanduzi stressed Iraq's keenness to participate in foreign exhibitions to introduce the Iraqi heritage.

The Iraqi minister pointed out to the Iraqi participants, which extended from the 1930s to the 1980s, and stopped because of the wars. "We recognize the importance of Iraq's participation in such exhibitions, but these participations require several measures that must be expedited, stressing the need to determine the type of pieces that can be shared through consultation between the Museum of Iraq and the Netherlands," he said.

During his meeting with the Dutch ambassador, Rawanduzi discussed the sale of Iraqi antiquities and trade by the salons concerned with the sale of antiquities, indicating stages of cooperation between the two parties and the restoration of a number of pieces, including 70 pieces in 2010, 10 pieces in 2012, and 61 other pieces as well.

Rawanduzi praised the rapid response initiative launched by the ministry earlier this month, in cooperation with UNESCO, to rehabilitate the Iraqi monuments in the liberated areas, calling on the Dutch side to play a role in this initiative, pointing to the convening of a conference in this regard in November this year.

The Dutch ambassador stressed the need to extend bridges of cooperation between Iraq and the Netherlands and at the level of culture, monuments and tourism because of its importance in strengthening relations between peoples.

He stressed his interest in the participation of Iraq and Iraqi Museum in the exhibition of antiquities in Netherlands, adding that the exhibition will enhance relations between the two countries, which is important to promote the Iraqi heritage and culture.