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Stamp: 27
Backed by his support, I laid siege to the Council after visite of some-of the most influential members. Result after long palavers and attacks by some francophobes (who are unfortunately to be found throughout our movements as long as the Algerian problem remains without solution): I am authorised on a personal basis and under some conditions as to the place of conservation of the tablets in Paris, to emtake away those texts which cannot be read with the aid of photographs and casts. A sub-committee composed of representatives of the Council, of the conservation of the Museum and of technicians of the Directorate of Antiquities was to approve my choice of texts to export in original, and the Museum workshop has been charged with making casts of the texts in good condition and selected. The casts are made with the aid of a new product which I had urgently to obtain from the USA by air. I shall be obliged, after my return from Cyprus, to return to Damascus to take delivery of the original texts and the casts and to complete the formalities of the temporary export. — Today, I am sending you 20 photographs of some complete texts and large fragments made before my departure from
65 figures hard to readstruck struck outadded written in above” jug ditto, and what it repeatsword reading not certain