C.P.(Gen)Doc.1.J.26.
Article 21
After paragraph 2 of Article 21 add a new paragraph 2 bis reading as follows:
[Page 714]2 bis. “The Bulgarian Government undertakes to trace and return to Greece all objects of archaeological, historical, artistic or religious value as well as all documents or archives removed from Greek territory during the war by the Bulgarian authorities or forces or even by Bulgarian nationals.
Should the restitution of such objects prove impossible, the Bulgarian Government, at the request of the Greek Government, shall replace them by objects of equal value; the same obligation will apply when the return of such objects is impossible because of their damaged condition.
The provisions of paragraph 2 above also apply to objects referred to above which were destroyed or damaged on Greek territory as a result of military operations or other acts of the Bulgarian occupation authorities.
All disputes concerning the interpretation or application of the present Article will be referred to an arbitrator chosen by UNESCO; the ruling of this arbitrator will be final.”
The invaders did not spare the archaeological treasurers of Greece; they included them in their programme of plunder and destruction.
One of the most important of these values is the respect for the monuments and remains of European culture, which is why Bulgaria, apart from and possibly above, any legal obligation, is morally obliged to retrieve and return all objects removed and pilfered, as well as to replace those which were destroyed.