Formal request for loan of antiquities for museum opening

http://tinyurl.com/2aupub (sis.gov.eg)

"The Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) has formally requested the temporary display of unique ancient Egyptian antiquities kept in several museums abroad during the inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum in 2011.

SCA Secretary General Zahi Hawwas said he met Ambassador Mona Saudi, Assistant Foreign Minister for Cultural Affairs, and discussed with her procedures to put into effect an agreement between Culture and Foreign Ministers Farouq Hosni and Ahmed Abul-Gheit respectively to contact foreign countries to allow the return of the monuments for display during the ceremony.

The objects in question are the Rosetta Stone, now in the British Museum in London, the bust of Nefertiti in the Egyptian Museum in Berlin, the statue of Great Pyramid architect Hemiunnu in the Romer-Pelizaeus Museum in the German city of Hilesheim, the Dendara Temple Zodiac in the Louvre in Paris, and the bust of Kephren pyramid builder Ankhaf in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, USA.

Hawwas said he hoped the foreign countries would accept the Egyptian request in the light of distinguished ties with these countries."

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/04/070430-egypt-loan.html

In the above page, Hawass is said to have given assurances that he will provide a letter guarantee from the Egyptian government that will secure the safe return of these objects to the lending institutions: Hawass said Egypt will deal with each museum on an individual basis.
'If a museum cooperates with us, then we will continue our good relations and cooperate with them in a mutually beneficial, scientific manner,' he said.
Hannah Boulton, a spokesperson for the British Museum, said that the museum will wait for the letter before commenting in detail and that museum policy is to consider any request.
She added, however, that any such loan would only be temporary. "

There is a complete list of the items that Egypt are requesting be returned on loan:

• Nefertiti's bust at the Altes Museum.
• The Rosetta Stone at the British Museum.
• The Zodiac ceiling from the Dendera Temple at the Louvre in Paris.
• The statue of Hemiunu, an architect of the Great Pyramid, at the Roemer-Pelizaeus Museum in Hildesheim, Germany.
• The statue of Ankhaf, builder of the Chephren Pyramid, at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

See the above page for full details.