Skopje, 2 June 2022 (MIA) – North Macedonia will conclude a cooperation agreement with the United States on protection of cultural heritage to provide prevention against illegal trade of cultural goods, Culture Minister Bisera Kostadinovska-Stojchevska said after a meeting with Deborah Lehr, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Antiquities Coalition, authorized by the US Department of State. The meeting took place during Kostadinovska-Stojchevska’s visit as part of a government delegation to Washington for the North Macedonia-United States Strategic Dialogue, the Culture Ministry said Thursday. Kostadinovska-Stojchevska and Lehr supported the initiative for signing a bilateral agreement on controlled export of archeological and ethnological items from North Macedonia into the United States. “I believe the cooperation with the US will be beneficial for our country regarding protection of our cultural goods,” said the Minister. The Antiquities Coalition, said Lehr, over the past 10 years has developed many mechanisms, including with the American security services, to monitor and detect goods imported illegally. The Ministry of Culture, the Interior Ministry and the office for the protection of cultural heritage will work on the text of the agreement with relevant American institutions, said the press release. “We will also work with NGOs with experts on the matter to create legislation as regards trade of works of art, paintings and antiquities,” said Kostadinovska-Stojchevska.