CAIRO, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Egypt received on Tuesday 14 artifacts that were smuggled from the Arab country in late 1980s and seized by the Cypriot authorities in Nicosia.
In a statement, Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities said that Director of the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus, Marina Solomidou, handed over the smuggled pieces to the Egyptian authorities.
The ministry received the artifacts on the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony of the "Roots Revival" initiative that kicked off Monday in Egypt's Mediterranean city of Alexandria.
Egyptian Antiquities Minister Khaled Anani expressed his pleasure for retrieving the artifacts, voicing thanks to the Cypriot authorities for their constant cooperation with the Egyptian authorities, the ministry said.
Egypt, one of the most ancient civilizations, has been working effortlessly to preserve and retrieve its rich archaeological treasure and historical heritage, which will also help boost the once-flourishing tourism industry that has largely been affected by the political turmoil over the past five years.
