Mongolia Calls For Russia Until Britain Returns Cultural Artifacts

JAKARTA - Mongolian authorities are calling for more support from Russia, Britain, and other countries to repatriate hundreds of cultural artifacts, some of whom are over two millennials.

The important artifact includes a letter from the first prime minister of Mongolia declaring independence from the Chinese Manchu Dynasty, which is currently being held in the British Library, London, the Mongolian Government said in a statement.

Artifacts related to Persian statesman Rashid al-Din who worked in the palaces of someTORic rulers of Persia in the 13th and 14th centuries were kept in the Edinburgh Museum, the statement continued.

In recent decades, many countries, including former European imperial colonies, have asked for the return of cultural and historical artifacts taken years ago. Many of them are kept in museums and reluctant to hand over their collections.

Mongolia has progressed in reclaiming its cultural artifacts. Some time ago, the United States returned dinosaur fossils taken from Mongolia, including the alioramus skull, a smaller version of the rex tyrannnosaurus who lived 70 million years ago.

"We gathered here to witness the return of dinosaur fossils from the United States to their homeland, Mongolia. These fossils, which used to be lost in time and distance, are now finding a way back to the mainland, where they were first discovered," said Foreign Minister Mongolia Battsetseg Batmunkh in a return ceremony last August.

"The extraordinary journey of these artifacts demonstrates the strength of collaborative diplomacy and strong dedication to preserving our cultural heritage. I am pleased to recognize the valuable contributions of law enforcement officers and special agents, institutions, lawyers, judges, our collective efforts to demonstrate the potential to effectively combat illegal smuggling, both bilaterally and multilaterally," he said.

At a forum in Russia last month, Mongolian Culture Minister Nomin Chinbat also asked Moscow for help in identifying and returning artifacts sent to Russia for research and restoration a hundred years ago, including artifacts from the Hunnu Dynasty 2,000 years ago excavated from Noyon, Uul's burial site by Russian explorer Pyotr Kozlov in the 1920s.

"I thank the countries that have supported Mongolia in this important work so far, and look forward to working with more of our international partners on this important initiative with a spirit of friendship and mutual respect," Chinbat said.