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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Greek warning over London auction | Greek warning over London auction |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Greece has warned buyers of former royal treasures being sold by London auction house Christie's that they could face legal action. | Greece has warned buyers of former royal treasures being sold by London auction house Christie's that they could face legal action. |
| Culture Minister Giorgos Voulgarakis had urged Christie's not to go ahead, saying the items may have been illegally exported from Greece. | Culture Minister Giorgos Voulgarakis had urged Christie's not to go ahead, saying the items may have been illegally exported from Greece. |
| But the auction house said it saw no reason to stop the two-day sale, which began on Wednesday. | But the auction house said it saw no reason to stop the two-day sale, which began on Wednesday. |
| On offer are more than 850 items once owned by King George I of Greece. | |
| King George ruled from 1863 to 1913. His collection includes antique silverware, paintings, Chinese jade and Faberge items from the former royal estate in Tatoi, north of Athens. | King George ruled from 1863 to 1913. His collection includes antique silverware, paintings, Chinese jade and Faberge items from the former royal estate in Tatoi, north of Athens. |
| Ownership denied | Ownership denied |
| Mr Voulgarakis told buyers to think carefully. | Mr Voulgarakis told buyers to think carefully. |
| "If someone buys something that proves to be illegal, the state will turn both against Christie's and the buyer," he told state TV. | "If someone buys something that proves to be illegal, the state will turn both against Christie's and the buyer," he told state TV. |
| He said Greece had asked the British courts to force the auction house to disclose where it obtained the pieces. | He said Greece had asked the British courts to force the auction house to disclose where it obtained the pieces. |
| The former king denies he is the seller of the antiquities | The former king denies he is the seller of the antiquities |
| Christie's has not identified the seller but, says the BBC's Malcolm Brabant, it is widely believed to be London-based ex-King Constantine. | Christie's has not identified the seller but, says the BBC's Malcolm Brabant, it is widely believed to be London-based ex-King Constantine. |
| Greece abolished the monarchy in 1973, but in 1991 King Constantine was allowed to remove heirlooms from the Tatoi estate, which was then confiscated in 1994. | Greece abolished the monarchy in 1973, but in 1991 King Constantine was allowed to remove heirlooms from the Tatoi estate, which was then confiscated in 1994. |
| But the royal family said it no longer owned the collection. | But the royal family said it no longer owned the collection. |
| "The items to be auctioned were sold by the Greek royal family in 1991," family spokeswoman Aliki Strongylos told the Associated Press news agency. | "The items to be auctioned were sold by the Greek royal family in 1991," family spokeswoman Aliki Strongylos told the Associated Press news agency. |
| "We don't know who is currently selling them." | "We don't know who is currently selling them." |
| 'Conclusive evidence' | 'Conclusive evidence' |
| On Tuesday, Christie's said all the items had been legally obtained and in a statement said it saw "no reason for the sale not to go ahead as planned". | On Tuesday, Christie's said all the items had been legally obtained and in a statement said it saw "no reason for the sale not to go ahead as planned". |
| King Constantine removed the pieces from Greece in 1991 | King Constantine removed the pieces from Greece in 1991 |
| It said that Mr Voulgarakis himself told parliament earlier in January that the export of the items had been allowed. | It said that Mr Voulgarakis himself told parliament earlier in January that the export of the items had been allowed. |
| And in a statement on his website on Monday, King Constantine said that "conclusive evidence" concerning the legality of exporting the items had been "repeatedly presented". | And in a statement on his website on Monday, King Constantine said that "conclusive evidence" concerning the legality of exporting the items had been "repeatedly presented". |
| The auction house also said it was surprised by the last-minute request, given that the sale was announced almost two months ago. | The auction house also said it was surprised by the last-minute request, given that the sale was announced almost two months ago. |
| But Victoria Solomonides, Greece's cultural attache in London, told the BBC that this was standard practice. | But Victoria Solomonides, Greece's cultural attache in London, told the BBC that this was standard practice. |
| "If you go to court say 10 days before the sale, there is always a danger that the artefacts will leave the country," she said. | "If you go to court say 10 days before the sale, there is always a danger that the artefacts will leave the country," she said. |
| In recent years, Greece has fought hard to repatriate antiquities it says were taken illegally. | In recent years, Greece has fought hard to repatriate antiquities it says were taken illegally. |