Minister of Antiquities Mamdouh el Damati met on Thursday with heads of foreign institutions for antiquities working in Egypt.

The meeting was attended by director of the German Archaeological Institute in Cairo Stephan Seidlmayer, head of the Austrian Archaeological Institute in Cairo Irene Forstner-Müller, Director of the Italian Cultural Institute Paolo Sabbatini and director of the French Institute for Eastern Archaeology Laurent Bavay as well as a number of Egyptian Egyptology professors.

In statements after the meeting, Damati said this meeting came within the ministry's efforts to boost relations with all countries in antiquities field.

The meeting discussed mechanisms to prepare for a grand project that aims to save Ramesseum temple of Pharaoh Ramesses II in Luxor, the minister added.

They also tackled the organizing of the 12th international conference for Egyptologists to be held in Luxor in 2019, he further said.

The meeting also agreed to hold an annual meeting for scientific institutions to review their achievements.