A bilateral agreement on the international transfer of cultural property has been signed on Tuesday by Swiss Interior Minister Alain Berset, and Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy. The pact was signed with the aim to protect the cultural legacy of both nations.

Speaking at the signing ceremony held at the Anatolian Civilizations Museum in Ankara, Ersoy maintained that Türkiye meticulously focuses on protecting cultural assets and their transfer to the future. He further said that the inability of artifacts of Anatolian origin to enter Switzerland will limit the creation of a potential illegal market.

The agreement governs the legal conditions for importing cultural property into one of the two treaty parties. It also highlights the procedures for returning cultural property that has been imported illegally. It also promotes collaboration in the fight against the unlawful transfer of cultural property and controls reciprocal reporting.

Notably, the agreement will weaken the artifact smuggling networks because of the bilateral agreements with nations like Bulgaria, Romania, Iran, Serbia, the United States, and now Switzerland. They will always receive the appropriate response within the framework of international cooperation, Ersoy underscored.

Meanwhile, Berset stated his nation is steadfastly devoted to the struggle against the trafficking of cultural property. This pact, according to the Swiss minister, would solidify the ties between the two nations, and financial aid for the safeguarding of cultural assets will be prioritized towards Türkiye.

The two ministers who signed the agreement toured the museum after the speeches.