By Our Staff Reporter
The Italian government has agreed to return the Aksum Obelisk to Etihopia by the end of this year. The agreement was signed on the Ethiopian side by Dr. Tekeda Alemu, vice minister of the ministry of foreign affairs and his Italian counterpart Senator Rino Sert.
A communique from both countries said that in act of appreciation for the return of the obelisk--stolen from Ethiopia sixty years ago under the order of Benito Mussoloni--the Ethiopian government would present Italy with a gift. A thirteen member delegation had gone to Rome to facilitate the obelisk's return.
At the end of the Italian occupation of Ethiopia, the former had signed a treaty that, amongst other things called for the prompt return of the above mentioned obelisk.