UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- A UN General Assembly resolution that was adopted on Thursday stressed the need to protect cultural heritage of countries in crisis.

The resolution on the return of cultural property to the countries of origin deplores damage to the cultural heritage of countries in situations of crisis, conflict and post-conflict, in particular, recent attacks on world cultural heritage sites, and calls for an immediate end to such acts.

It calls on all member states in a position to do so to assist the affected states in combating trafficking in cultural property, including through international cooperation in the return or restitution of stolen or illicitly exported cultural property.

The resolution welcomes the most recent efforts made by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization for the protection of the cultural heritage of countries in conflict, in particular in Iraq and Syria, including the safe return to those countries of cultural property and other items of archaeological, historical, cultural, rare scientific and religious importance that have been illegally removed.

The resolution urges member states to introduce effective national and international measures to prevent and combat illicit trafficking in cultural property.

It urges all member states to take appropriate measures to ensure that all actors involved in the trade of cultural property are required to provide verifiable documentation of provenance as well as export certificates, as applicable, related to any cultural property imported, exported or offered for sale, including through the Internet.

It encourages all member states to establish specialized police units exclusively dedicated to the protection of cultural heritage to investigate cases of trafficking in cultural property, and a national stolen works of art database directly connected with the corresponding Interpol database.

The resolution asks member states to consider establishing and developing national, regional and international databases inventorying cultural property and encourages them to enhance the exchange of information. Enditem

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