Berlin's Museum of Egyptology on Monday rebuffed a threat from Egypt's top antiquities official to block all art loans to Germany unless the "world's most beautiful woman", Queen Nefertiti, goes home to Cairo.

Though one eye is missing, the 3,000-year-old painted limestone bust of the queen is celebrated as one of the finest female representations ever created. It was taken to Germany from Egypt under a 1913 contract.

, the museum director, said on the radio channel Deutschlandradio Kultur he was not too concerned at the threat, since Egypt had not lent any art to Germany since 1985 anyway.

"Even without loans we can manage comfortably and put on a good show," he said...

The transcript of the Deutschlandradio Kultur interview with Dietrich Wildung can be found here: "Diese ganze Geschichte ist ein Politikum" , including an MP3 audio version as well.

Berlin museum rebuffs threat over Nefertiti, Sapa-dpa via The Independent Online, South Africa, April 17, 2007.

cf. Egypt and Germany step up quarrel over Nefertiti's bust, AFP via The Daily Star, Lebanon, April 17, 2007.

cf. Germany, Egypt In Row Over Nefertiti Bust, All Headline News, Nevada, USA, April 17, 2007.

Previously:

Egypt threatens German ban in Nefertiti row, April 16, 2007.

Nefertiti Is Too Fragile to Visit Egypt, German Minister Says, April 13, 2007.