Italy may help Iraq train art cops: Countries outline 'master plan' for cultural collaboration

Italy is planning to help Iraq create a new police unit to fight the trafficking of stolen works, Culture Minister Sandro Bondi said Wednesday.

The new Iraqi unit will be based on Italy's crack team of art cops, who have gained a worldwide reputation for their work in recovering stolen works and stopping illegal trading.

Flanked by Iraq's Tourism and Antiquities Minister Qahtan Abbas al-Jibouri, Bondi said the unit was just one of a series of initiatives in a plan for ongoing cultural collaboration between the two countries.