Cambodia PM celebrates return of stolen artifacts

Centuries-old cultural artifacts that had been taken from Cambodia were welcomed home Friday at a celebration led by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Many, if not all, of the items displayed at the government's offices Friday had been taken from Cambodia during periods of war and instability, including in the 1970s when the country was under the brutal rule of the communist Khmer Rouge.

Through dealers, they made their way into the hands of private collectors and museums around the world. A statement from the Cambodian Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts said the returned items included important Hindu statues, as well as ancient jewelries from the pre-Angkor and Angkor periods.

It described the returned artifacts as embodying the "priceless cultural heritage and the souls of generations of Khmer ancestors." The statement credited the items' return to cooperation and support from public and private institutions, national and international experts, and close relations with other countries.