Cambodia
U.S. Action to Protect Khmer
Stone Archaeological Material
I. U.S. Action
II. Background
III.
Categories of Artifacts Subject to Import Restriction
IV. Import Regulations
V. For
More Information
I. U.S.
Action
- On September 19, 2003, the U.S. and Cambodia entered a bilateral agreement
to impose import restrictions on certain archaeological materials in
stone, metal and ceramic. The materials protected under the emergency
import restriction are subsumed under this agreement.
- On December 2,1999, the
U.S. imposed an emergency import restriction on stone sculpture and
architectural elements from Cambodia unless it is accompanied by an
export permit issued by the Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia. A
request for protection for other types of Khmer archaeological material
(ceramic, metal, etc.) is pending.
II.
Background
Both the emergency import
restriction and the bilateral agreement are in response to a request
from the Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia seeking protection
of its cultural heritage under Article 9 of the 1970 UNESCO Convention
on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export
and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property. Cambodia is the first
country in East Asia to receive the help of the United States in protecting
its cultural property.
On September 19, 2003, U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia, Charles A. Ray,
representing the U.S. Government, and Minister of Culture and Fine
Arts, Her Royal Highness Princess Norodom Bopha Devi, representing
the Royal Government of Cambodia, signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) concerning the imposition of import restrictions on Khmer archaeological
material entering the United States.
This agreement replaces emergency restrictions imposed by the United
States in December 1999 on the import of Khmer stone sculpture. It
will extend greater protection to the cultural patrimony of Cambodia,
which is in jeopardy from pillage. Through this new agreement, the
United States Government is committed to restrict the importation
into the U.S. of all categories of Khmer archaeological material,
as identified on a list to be promulgated. Both governments will also
seek to encourage academic institutions, non-governmental institutions,
and other private organizations to cooperate in the exchange of knowledge
and information about the cultural patrimony of the Kingdom of Cambodia,
and to collaborate in the preservation and protection of such cultural
patrimony through appropriate technical assistance, training and resources.
The MOU is pursuant to the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of
Prohibiting and preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer
of Ownership of Cultural Property, to which both the United States
and Cambodia are States Party.
The event was attended by senior officials of the Council of Ministers,
Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Finance and Economics, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and local media representatives. Princess Bopha Devi,
Minister of Culture, and Chea Sophorn, Secretary of State for the
Council of Ministers, each expressed their appreciation for this tangible
evidence of U.S. support in this area. The Princess also publicly
thanked the U.S. for returning five artifacts to the National Museum
since 1997, and stated her wish for continued cooperation. The signing
ceremony was widely covered in the local media.
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A Khmer period statue desecrated by pillagers in Cambodia. Angkor
is on the World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered
Sites, a program of the World Monuments Fund. Photo by John
Stubbs
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Stone monuments
and sculpture produced during the Angkor Empire illustrate a
high degree of artistic, social and economic achievement. Much
of it also demonstrates the profound religious and social beliefs
of the Khmer culture.
Stone and other
archaeological material is being pillaged throughout Cambodia
at an alarming rate. Recent reports indicate free-standing sculpture,
architectural elements and other stone artifacts are being illicitly
removed from Cambodia by the truckload to supply the U.S. and
international market.
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III.
Categories of Artifacts Subject to Import Restriction
-
On September 22, 2003, the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection
published in the Federal Register
a complete list of artifact categories in stone, metal and ceramic.
-
On
December 2, 1999, the U.S. Customs Service published a complete
list of artifact categories in the Federal
Register for the emergency restriction on certain Khmer
stone archaeological materials.
Objects listed in the
Federal Register notice may enter the U.S. if they have an
export permit issued by Cambodia or verifiable documentation that
they left Cambodia prior to the effective date of the restriction:
December 2, 1999, for stone archaeological materials, and September
22, 2003 for ceramic and metal archaeological materials.
V. For More Information
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Revised: September 22, 2003 |
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SELECT
FROM THE FOLLOWING:
2003
Agreement
2003
Federal Register Notice
1999
Federal Register Notice (html)(text)
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