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Art works stolen by JNA/Serbia
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Robert Jerin
Dec 27, 1999, 3:00:00 AM12/27/99
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CROATIA EXPECTS RETURN OF LOOTED WORKS OF ART
In early December the UN General Assembly, in the continuation of the
Assembly's 54th annual session, discussed the return or restitution of
cultural and artistic treasure to the countries of origin.
Croatia's ambassador to the UN in New York Ivan Simonovic also participated
in the debate. He supported the efforts of the world organization,
especially UNESCO, to create an appropriate international and legal
framework for the protection of works of art and the cultural heritage of
countries. Simonovic retained that the establishment of international
ethical norms for persons professionally involved in the trade of works of
art would help prevent the national cultural heritage from being illegally
acquired and included in private collections.
In light of the thirtieth anniversary of the adoption of the Paris
Convention on the ban and prevention of illegal trade of artistic and
cultural treasures, Simonovic urged UNESCO member states to improve
cooperation and for governments within the countries themselves to prevent
the illegal art trade.
He went on to describe problems that Croatia was facing in regard to the
return of artistic objects and cultural treasures from Yugoslavia. He
recalled that the Homeland War saw the utter destruction of 66 museum
buildings, while 45 museums and galleries were plundered. "6551 works of art
are missing, 1430 are destroyed and 728 are damaged," said Simonovic. He
elaborated on the Bauer collection, the Vukovar Museum, Dubrovnik and the
Konavli cultural monuments, Ruzicka's memorial collection, the works of art
pillaged from churches and a part of the material looted from the Jasenovac
Memorial Center. He said that Croatia expects Yugoslavia to adhere to what
had been agreed to by the foreign ministers of the two countries, Mate
Granic and Zivadin Jovanovic respectively. Namely, they agreed that an
agreement on cultural cooperation would solve the issue of returning
Croatian cultural and artistic treasures from Serbia and Montenegro. (Hina)
In early December the UN General Assembly, in the continuation of the
Assembly's 54th annual session, discussed the return or restitution of
cultural and artistic treasure to the countries of origin.
Croatia's ambassador to the UN in New York Ivan Simonovic also participated
in the debate. He supported the efforts of the world organization,
especially UNESCO, to create an appropriate international and legal
framework for the protection of works of art and the cultural heritage of
countries. Simonovic retained that the establishment of international
ethical norms for persons professionally involved in the trade of works of
art would help prevent the national cultural heritage from being illegally
acquired and included in private collections.
In light of the thirtieth anniversary of the adoption of the Paris
Convention on the ban and prevention of illegal trade of artistic and
cultural treasures, Simonovic urged UNESCO member states to improve
cooperation and for governments within the countries themselves to prevent
the illegal art trade.
He went on to describe problems that Croatia was facing in regard to the
return of artistic objects and cultural treasures from Yugoslavia. He
recalled that the Homeland War saw the utter destruction of 66 museum
buildings, while 45 museums and galleries were plundered. "6551 works of art
are missing, 1430 are destroyed and 728 are damaged," said Simonovic. He
elaborated on the Bauer collection, the Vukovar Museum, Dubrovnik and the
Konavli cultural monuments, Ruzicka's memorial collection, the works of art
pillaged from churches and a part of the material looted from the Jasenovac
Memorial Center. He said that Croatia expects Yugoslavia to adhere to what
had been agreed to by the foreign ministers of the two countries, Mate
Granic and Zivadin Jovanovic respectively. Namely, they agreed that an
agreement on cultural cooperation would solve the issue of returning
Croatian cultural and artistic treasures from Serbia and Montenegro. (Hina)
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