Iraq and the whole world are the poorer for it.

Government in the lead up to armed conflict understood the risk to ancient historical and archaeological sites of world importance. This is why we consulted experts at Newcastle University and University College London in the weeks leading up to the start of war.

But the extent of wilful damage and destruction has surpassed expectations.

Of course what we could not have foretold that organised looting on this scale would be a feature of this conflict. 

I don't want to endlessly chew over why the looting wasn't prevented.  But we are where we are and now we must move on to what practical steps can be taken to help the Iraqis.  

Preventing further looting is one priority,  obviously an issue for Coalition forces, and Geoff Hoon and I have discussed how best they could do that. 

 

I have no doubt that the people in charge of protecting and restoring cultural heritage should be the Iraqis themselves, working with the assistance of organisations such as the British Museum and UNESCO.  And it is centres of expertise such as the British Museum which can do so much.

But my Dept, the Dept for Culture, is giving practical help too.  Today, we need to look beyond the current danger, to the risks that the already looted treasures are placed in the international art market. We are working our way through five practical measures:

One. Wholehearted support for the Private Member's Bill proposed by Richard Allen.  Currently, if an artefact cannot be tracked back to its original owner, for example if it had been taken from an archaeological site without anyone's knowledge than currently no one can be prosecuted.  This is the loophole that we are trying to plug. By strangling the market for tainted Iraqi property, I hope we can remove the incentive for further looting of sites and museums.

I have spoken to the Chief Whip and the Business Managers at the House and we will do what we can to hurry this important legislation through.  With their help, the signs are encouraging that the Bill will become law.

Two. I have contacted the main trade bodies for the art market reminding them that it is, and will remain, illegal to import Iraqi antiquities into the UK, and asking for their help in locating and identifying any Iraqi antiquities which make their way to the UK. We will continue to keep in close touch with them.

And on the wider stage, UNESCO, with Neil's help is working to make sure that the whole international community are applying the same safeguards.

Thirdly, we also need to think ahead to the lifting of UN sanctions on Iraq and what effect that may have the traffic in antiquities. So we will be negotiating with the US, the UN and others to explore how best to ensure the protection of Iraq's heritage.

Neil and I have been discussing for some time the plan for a cultural alliance of experts from across the world who can help Iraqi conservators pick up the pieces and rebuild their museums, their libraries and their excavated sites. And I am delighted that Helen MacDonald from the MacDonald Institute of Archaeology plus John Curtis and a curator from the British Museum will be going to Iraq shortly to start the process of recovery. And there have been many more offers of help from museums and libraries across the UK.

I am also pleased to say that we are sending out an expert group of DCMS staff in the first wave of UK civilian personnel.

These experts, working with Iraqi and US colleagues will be able to reach rapid conclusions about the extent of the damage and what action might be needed.

And finally, money.  The UK Government has already committed £300 milion to ORHA, which will use its overall funding pot to help with cultural heritage.

In the meantime, Neil's announcement about financial support for phase I of the BM's work is excellent news.  I think it is safe to predict that he and I will be returning to the subject of finance in the future, and I will do what I can to help. 

Lastly, it is now clear what the full scale of this disaster has been. But we must not overlook the importance of recovery, where possible, restoration, where possible, of those priceless artefacts which have been a feature of the identity of the land between the rivers for thousands of years before Saddam Hussein.

 

It is humbling to meet Dr George and hear his story. And I am full of admiration for those who have joined the cultural alliance to support his work, and to help give back to Iraq their past, their culture and their pride.