Imported treasure

From Mr John F Buckley

Sir: Chris Martin ("From the dawn of time, a bargain", 1 July), does not seem to be aware of the proposals for an International Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects, under the auspices of Unidroit, which was adopted by an international diplomatic conference in Rome on 23 June 1995 and which is now open for signature.

Perhaps this convention, the result of seven to eight years of preparatory work, may prove more effective than the Unesco one, which did not find favour with a significant number of "importing" states and achieve the return of illegally exported cultural objects.

Yours faithfully,

John F. Buckley

Dublin