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Great Britain has promised to return more than 5,000
artefacts to Iraq over the next
months. The announcement was made by the British government during the
of the Iraqi Prime Minister to London earlier this week. The repatriation marks the
ever return of antiquities by the UK. Many of the
set to return to Iraq were stolen and smuggled out of Iraq over the
century, particularly after the Iraqi wars at the beginning of the
. There is a lucrative trade in stolen artefacts. Iraq's
to the UK was
of the UK's help. He said: "We extend our
to the British Museum staff for their efforts and cooperation with us."