CONFERENCE ON ILLEGAL TRAFFICKING OF ARTEFACTS TAKES PLACE ON BRIJUNI ISLAND

BRIJUNI, May 29 (Hina) - The third international conference on the smuggling of artefacts stolen from Central and Eastern Europe began on Croatia's island of Brijuni today. The conference has been organised by the Lyon-based Interpol's main secretariat, the NCB Interpol Conference from Zagreb, and the Croatian interior and culture ministries. #L# The conference, gathering 90 participants from some 20 countries and several international organisations, was opened by Interior Minister Sime Lucin. Addressing the participants, Lucin stressed that Croatia, whose cultural heritage was frequently the target of looters and smugglers, is actively involved in the international fight against crime and the smuggling of cultural goods. From 1991 until 2000, 1,500 crimes were committed in Croatia involving grand theft, destruction, damage and illegal exports of artefacts, Lucin said, recalling that 300 sacral buildings were devastated and looted during this period, particularly during the Homeland Defence War. Commenting on the increasing occurrences of looting of submarine archaeological sites, the minister said international crime can efficiently be fought with a better and more efficient protection of cultural artefacts, and the harmonising of laws involving the issue among countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Jean-Pierre Jouanny spoke on behalf of the Interpol main secretariat, saying the illegal trade and robbing of artefacts is not a problem of only one country. It is necessary to get internationally organised to suppress this kind of crime. Croatian Culture Minister Antun Vujic stressed that as part of Croatia's normalisation of relations with neighbouring countries, the issue of stolen artefacts during the past war had to be resolved. "It is impermissible for art and cultural goods owned by Croatia be exhibited in other countries and always at the same exhibitions, which is in fact incredible," Vujic asserted. (hina) lml sb