We, the undersigned, urge the Cultural Property Advisory Committee (CPAC) to recommend the signing of a bilateral agreement that restricts the importation of Bulgarian archaeological and ethnological materials.

Precious information about the ancient cultures of Bulgaria is being destroyed through massive looting of sites and theft from churches and museums to meet the international demand for antiquities.

The best way to understand the cultural heritage of Bulgaria is when its historic artifacts are studied within their archaeological, architectural and historical contexts and are professionally preserved.

We feel strongly that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Republic of Bulgaria would allow the U.S. Government to help stop the looting of Bulgarian archaeological sites and cultural monuments and preserve our shared past.