Cairo urges Rome to uncover facts behind seizure of smuggled Egyptian artifacts

CAIRO - 26 May 2018: Assistant Foreign Minister for Protocol Affairs Ayman Mosharafa held a meeting on Friday with acting Italian ambassador to Egypt Stefano Catani on the Italian authorities’ seizure of 118 smuggled Egyptian artifacts in May 2017.

The smuggled artifacts were found concealed in "a diplomatic container" owned by an Italian national.

The meeting was held upon directives from Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, the spokesman for the Foreign Ministry Ahmed Abu Zeid said in a statement.

The talks come within the framework of the Foreign Ministry’s keenness to uncover all facts related to the incident, with the Egyptian diplomat noting that the Egyptian ambassador in Rome was informed about the matter in March 2018, 10 months after the smuggled artifacts were discovered and seized.

This raises several questions by the Egyptian government about the cause of delay, particularly in light of the close ties binding Cairo and Rome, Mosharafa said.

The Egyptian diplomat also inquired about the identity of the person to whom the diplomatic parcel containing the smuggled artifacts reportedly belongs.

Mosharafa called for completing relevant investigations as soon as possible to reveal facts behind the incident for the Egyptian public opinion. "Cairo is looking forward to Rome’s cooperation in this regard", he said.

Meanwhile, the acting Italian ambassador said he has contacted the authorities concerned in his country in order to accelerate the pace of investigations into the incident.

Catani also stressed Italy’s keenness to cooperate with Egypt in all issues of mutual concern.