Baghdad: The Director of Nineveh Antiquities, Ruwaid, announced tonight the reception of the French Consul for an official visit to the ancient city of Hatra, one of Iraq’s World Heritage sites. The visit included an inspection tour of the site.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, he stated that “the visit comes within the framework of France’s continued support for Iraqi antiquities and heritage and the strengthening of cooperation between the two sides in the field of cultural heritage preservation.”

For his part, the French Consul expressed his great admiration for what he saw in Hatra, noting that ‘Iraq is the cradle of civilizations,’ and praised the significant role played by Iraqi personnel in preserving this historical legacy. The Consul also affirmed his country’s readiness to support joint cooperation programs in the fields of restoration and training for the protection and preservation of Iraqi antiquities.