No subject

ROME -- Italian officials warned today that negotiations with the J. Paul
Getty Museum were close to breaking down and suggested the Los Angeles
museum could face sanctions if a deal is not reached early next year.

Culture Minister Francesco Rutelli reiterated previous demands that the
museum return 47 ancient Greek and Roman artifacts that he said were
''unequivocally'' smuggled out of Italy over the last 25 years. Last month
the Getty announced it would return 26 of the requested objects - a decision
the Italians called unsatisfactory.

''We are at the last chapter. Either there is a deal and all the requested
pieces are returned to Italy, or there will be a break (in the
negotiations),'' Rutelli said at a news conference.

Rutelli said he hoped the Getty would respond to Italy's demands by the
beginning of the year.

He declined to elaborate on any retaliatory measures Italy might take.
Ministry officials have said sanctions could include suspension of work with
Italian institutions on research, cultural studies, excavations, exhibits or
artwork loans.

The Getty Trust issued a statement saying it hoped to resolve the situation,
and that negotiations had stalled over a Greek statue it says was found in
international waters.

''We want to reiterate how important it is to resolve our differences,'' the
statement said. ''Italy and the Getty have many common interests when it
comes to the arts. ... We are committed to continuing our cooperative work
in the areas of exhibition, conservation and scholarship.''

Getty officials believe the ''Statue of a Victorious Athlete,'' a bronze
dating to around 300 B.C., was found in 1964 off Italy's eastern coast, and
that Italy has no claim to it.

The Getty has denied knowingly buying any illegally obtained objects.

Rutelli said today that according to a recent opinion published by state
lawyers the Greek statue belongs to Italy even if it were found in
international waters because it was brought into their country and then
exported illegally.

Italy has been aggressively campaigning to recover antiquities it says were
smuggled out of the country and sold to museums worldwide. It has already
signed separate deals this year with New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art
and Boston's Museum of Fine Arts for the return of a total of 34 artifacts -
including Hellenistic silverware, Etruscan vases and Roman statues - in
exchange for loans of other treasures.

Italy's efforts also include the criminal prosecution of former Getty
curator Marion True and art dealer Robert Hecht, on trial in Rome for
allegedly knowingly receiving dozens of archaeological treasures that were
stolen from private collections or dug up illicitly. The two Americans have
denied wrongdoing. 

http://www.latimes.com/