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Britain launched a public consultation Monday on whether national museums should be able to return works of art plundered by the Nazis.
Culture Minister David Lammy launched the consultation on whether the current statutory and other legal restrictions which prevent national museums from de-accessioning works of art in their collections should be lifted to allow restitution of items which were lost during the period 1933-1945, when Adolf Hitler's Nazi Party ruled Germany.
"The government remains committed to doing all it can to correct some of the terrible wrongs that were committed during the Nazi era," he said.
"The Spoliation Advisory Panel has helped bring many of these injustices to light and has proposed fair and equitable solutions throughout.
"We would now like to go one step further by enabling the return of items to the heirs of the original owners where this seems appropriate. I welcome the consultation paper and look forward to having a wide-ranging debate.
"It is not possible to say when legislation may be introduced on this issue; nonetheless, we are keen to begin the public debate."
The powers discussed in the paper relate only to the return of items lost as a result of the actions of the Nazis or their allies.
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AFPEntertainment-Britain-art-Nazis
AFP 102146 GMT 07 06
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