PHNOM PENH (Xinhua): Cambodia said on Friday that Istvan Zelnik, a Hungarian national and private collector, has agreed to return stolen Khmer cultural heritage objects to the kingdom after several years of negotiations.
"Among the significant Khmer cultural heritage objects which will be returned to Cambodia under this agreement are 183 pieces of Khmer silk textiles ... as well as prehistoric artifacts such as coins, beads, jewellery, and items made of precious metals, bronze, stone and clay," said a press release from the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts.
"Many of these objects were looted from Cambodia during the decades of civil war," the press release added.
The return also includes several other important collections, such as stone and bronze objects from both the Pre-Angkor and Angkor periods, it said.
According to the press release, Zelnik has previously repatriated several Khmer artefacts and has significantly contributed to Cambodia's cultural preservation efforts through his support for archaeological research projects and the publication of numerous scholarly works on cultural heritage, inscriptions, and contemporary Khmer art.
Cambodian Minister of Culture and Fine Arts Phoeurng Sackona said this voluntary return of Cambodian antiquities is an example to be followed.
"The repatriation of Khmer cultural heritage is regarded as a noble and honourable gesture that reflects a profound sense of ethical responsibility in safeguarding a nation's identity and contributes meaningfully to the preservation of humanity's shared cultural legacy," she said. - Xinhua
