Sunday, August 14, 2016

Let's Put a Stop to This MOU


The United States Department of State has proposed a renewal of its current Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) with Cyprus for another five (5) years. Once again, individuals will be afforded an opportunity to comment on whether the MOU should be extended. It is clear that the MOU is not working to achieve the principles proposed by its governing legislation. There is no evidence to support the position that the current MOU has deterred illegal excavation in Cyprus, nor have there been any reports of seizures at US borders of any culturally significant material thought to have been illegally excavated in Cyprus in recent years. Furthermore, its interpretation by U.S. federal authorities often prevents the legal importation of common artifacts freely traded on the legitimate commercial market.

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