Macedonia-Turkey cooperation in protecting cultural heritage

Istanbul, April 22 (MIA) - Director of the Cultural Heritage Protection Office, Pasko Kuzman held meetings Wednesday in Istanbul with managers of counterpart institutions in Turkey, which focused on the possibilities for exchange of experts in archaeological research.

Talks also focused on developing a copy of the sarcophagus with relief image of Alexander of Macedonia, dating from the 2nd century AD, stored in Istanbul Archaeological Museum.

"The copy would have identical dimensions, displayed in Macedonian museums. This was both our and their wish, since we are tied by the joint terms of Macedonia and Alexander", said Kuzman.

Turkey assists in the restoration and conservation of Ottoman cultural monuments in Macedonia, along with an initiative for cooperation between Istanbul and Skopje in completing the Stone Bridge and square Karpos Rebellion at the entry of the Old Skopje Bazaar.

According to Kuzman, Macedonia cooperates with Kosovo and Albania in the field of archaeological research, but efforts are also invested for establishment of cooperation with Croatia and Serbia.

"I hope we will establish cooperation with our Greek colleagues too. Our profession does not know boundaries, archaeology is a science that does not recognize borders", underlined the director of the Cultural Heritage Protection Office.