Ladies and Gentlemen,
Behind us is one of the greatest treasures of humankind: the Parthenon; the ancient Acropolis of Athens.
And here where we stand, at the new Acropolis Museum, we admire the wonderful works of art that adorned this classical monument.
We built this museum not just to protect these works from the ravages of time, but also to highlight the unity of this archeological site: here, in a direct line of vision with the Acropolis, these works accentuate all the beauty and timeless value of this monument.
This is the heritage of the Greek people, but at the same time it is an important part of global cultural heritage. Sprinkled throughout Greece are these and many other ancient and Byzantine treasures. And they all deserve the best possible protection.
My dear Hillary,
Greece suffers from illegal excavations and the illegal trafficking of its ancient artifacts.
This is why the agreement we signed today is of such great importance to us.
It strengthens our fight against the illegal trade in cultural artifacts. At the same time, it enhances our cooperation in a vital sector, with the aim of promoting Hellenic culture to the benefit of our two peoples and all of humanity.
Because although this is the birthplace of Hellenic culture, the message of this culture is universal and its monuments can and must be enjoyed by all humankind.
In closing, I would like to thank Pavlos Geroulanos and everyone at the Ministry of Culture who, through hard work and dedication to protecting and promoting Hellenic culture, made today’s agreement a reality.
I would like to express the hope that millions of your fellow Americans will come to admire these treasures, and, as you said yourself, what we have in common is not just our policies, but also our values. So, I make so bold as to say, welcome home, Hillary Clinton.
Ms. Clinton: Thank you, Stavros. Thank you very much, Minister Lambrinidis and Minister Geroulanos and Professor Pandermalis, thank you so much, and all of your colleagues for making this moment possible during our visit to this beautiful city.
It is a great honor for me to be representing the United States, a friend, ally and partner to Greece, and also to be exemplifying the very warm relations between the American and Greek people. Millions of visitors have already had the experience of walking through this magnificent Museum, here in the shadow of the Acropolis, and experiencing firsthand the extraordinary gifts that Greece has given over its long history to western civilization in which my country as well is in your debt.
This agreement that we are signing today will protect Greece’s culturally significant objects even further from looting and sale on the international market. It will be illegal to import protected items from Greece into the United States unless they have been certified by the Greek authorities. And that will help reduce the incentive to illegally remove such objects in the first place.
We know from experience that measures like this work, this will be our 15th cultural property agreement and in countries from Cambodia to Cyprus we have seen real results. These agreements build on America’s long-term commitment to cultural preservation. Forty years ago the United States was the first nation in the world to ratify the World Heritage Convention, and it remains a priority for our Government and for me personally.
Let me just conclude by saying that America is just as committed to Greece’s future as we are to preserving your past. During these difficult economic times, we will stand with you. We are confident that the nation that built the Parthenon, invented democracy and inspired the world can rise to the current challenge.
So, thank you all, Ministers and others who worked with you to achieve this important agreement. And I now look forward to signing on behalf of the United States.
July 17, 2011