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The top-targeted antiquity that Egypt would like to repatriate is this bust of Nefertiti, which is housed in Berlin's Neuen Museum. Image taken Nov. 8, 2009 by Xenon 77, permission to reproduce granted through Creative Commons Attribution - Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.

German foreign minister says Nefertiti bust should stay in Berlin

Catherine Saunders-Watson
Catherine Saunders-Watson

The top-targeted antiquity that Egypt would like to repatriate is this bust of Nefertiti, which is housed in Berlin's Neuen Museum. Image taken Nov. 8, 2009 by Xenon 77, permission to reproduce granted through Creative Commons Attribution - Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
The top-targeted antiquity that Egypt would like to repatriate is this bust of Nefertiti, which is housed in Berlin’s Neuen Museum. Image taken Nov. 8, 2009 by Xenon 77, permission to reproduce granted through Creative Commons Attribution – Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
CAIRO (AP) – Germany’s foreign minister says the 3,300-year-old bust of Queen Nefertiti that has been in a Berlin museum for decades is in Germany legally and could break if moved to Egypt.

Egypt’s antiquities chief had said he will formally demand the return of the bust of the 14th century B.C. monarch because it was taken out of Egypt with fraudulent documents in the early 20th century.

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said Saturday the case is still open but that German experts believe even lending the statue to Egypt could endanger it.

Germany has declined past Egyptian requests for the bust’s return, saying it was too fragile to move.

Egypt is campaigning to retrieve thousands of antiquities spirited out during Egypt’s colonial period and afterward.

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AP-ES-05-22-10 1636EDT