On May 21, 2011, the Cultural Policy Research Institute requested information under the Freedom of Information Act from the Department of State and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The request was with reference to statements issued by Dr. Zahi Hawass, Egypt’s Minister of State for Antiquities Affairs, regarding a pending agreement with the U.S. government. The agreement appears to have been negotiated by a private U.S. coalition calling itself the International Coalition to Support Protection of Egyptian Antiquities. The coalition is comprised of representatives from the Capitol Archaeological Institute of George Washington University, the Archaeological Institute of America, the American School of Oriental Research at Boston University, and the National Geographic Society.

Dr. Hawass’ personal website, http://www.drhawass.com/blog/international-coalition-support-protection-egyptian-antiquities, described meetings between himself and a private U.S. delegation on May 17-18, 2011. According to Dr. Hawass,

“We talked over several suggestions, including a Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Ministry of State for Antiquities… The Coalition will be drafting a formal agreement between the US and Egyptian governments.”

Dr. Hawass also stated,

“The Coalition will be providing us with satellite images that will help us monitor intrusive activity on archaeological sites and reported that the US government is willing to impose emergency import restrictions on Egyptian antiquities.”

The Cultural Policy Research Institute is deeply concerned by the implication that the actions of the Cultural Property Advisory Committee and the State Department’s Department of Cultural Affairs are being directed by a coalition of archaeological lobbyists.

Dr. Hawass’ description of their discussion strongly suggests that the statutory requirements of the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act (CCPIA) have been completely ignored and the decision-making role of the Cultural Property Advisory Committee to the President (CPAC) has been superseded.

The message is clear: a Memorandum of Understanding with Egypt would be initiated and drafted by a private U.S. group, not by the U.S. Government, as contemplated under the Cultural Property Implementation Act. The same private group has apparently guaranteed that the U.S government would sign an agreement with the Government of Egypt limiting access by all Americans to art from a founding civilization of the ancient world.