Paris' Guimet Museum of Asian art will in December become the first international museum to exhibit ancient Afghan treasures that resurfaced three years ago, after fears that they had been lost to the world.
More than 120 pieces, including from the 2,000-year-old Bactrian collection, will go on display early December, Guimet Museum director Jean-Francois Jarrige said in the Afghan capital Saturday.
Most had already left and been unpacked with the remainder due to fly out Sunday, he said.
The Afghan parliament in May voted against an international tour of the pieces saying that they feared that the treasure would be stolen, lost, damaged, or copied. The parliament gave the green light in a new vote months later.
"Eventually, the Afghan government, the minister of culture, and ourselves insisted on the importance of this exhibition at this time," Jarrige said, insisting that the display would show a "positive aspect" of Afghanistan.
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