CAIRO , Egypt ( CNN ) -- Egypt is suspending ties with France 's famous Louvre museum until the latter returns artifacts that it knew were stolen when it purchased them , the head of the country 's antiquities council said Wednesday . Egypt accuses the Louvre museum of failing to make good on promises to return antiquities . Zahi Hawass , director of the Supreme Council of Antiquities , said he wrote a letter seven years ago to major museums around the world asking them to consult with Egyptian authorities before buying any ancient Egyptian artifacts from outside sellers . Hawass said the Louvre had bought five murals chipped off the walls from a tomb in Thebes and been stolen by antiquities robbers in the 1980s . He sent a letter to the Louvre a year ago asking that the stolen paintings be returned , he said . The museum promised to return the items but has not followed through , he said . Until it does so , Egypt will suspend its cooperation with the Louvre , Hawass said . A Louvre spokesman declined to comment on Egypt 's claims . Egypt maintains antiquities exchange programs with museums around the world . The Louvre is one of the biggest repositories of ancient Egyptian antiquities in the world , much of it treasure taken during the time of the French and British occupation of the country . Egypt 's position is that artifacts taken by European powers during that period are a fait accompli , but anything taken illegally since Egypt 's independence must be returned . This has been one of the major emphases of Hawass since he became head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in 2002 . Egypt took similar steps against museums in England and Belgium in the past . Those ties were restored after the artifacts in question were returned , Hawass said .
Egypt suspends ties with France 's famous Louvre museum . Country accuses museum of failing to return stolen antiquities . Louvre is one of world 's biggest repositories of ancient Egyptian antiquities .