THE CYPRUS government should make a formal request to the US Department of State for an investigation into the whereabouts of the missing moon rock, ex-NASA special agent, Joseph Gutheinz said yesterday.
The missing moon rock, which – as it transpired last week – was never given to Cyprus at all, is “property that rightfully belongs to Cyprus,” he added.
It emerged last week that the fragment of lunar rock supposedly presented to Cyprus following the Apollo 17 mission to the moon, was in fact retained by the US embassy following the events of 1974.
In the confusion that arose from the evacuation of diplomatic personnel, the moon rock disappeared.
The rock offered up for sale in 2003. The man making the offer was the son of a US diplomat.
Yesterday Gutheinz said, “What needs to happen is that someone within the Cyprus Government should make a formal request with the US Department of State for an investigation.
“This request could also include a request for a replacement for the Apollo 17 Goodwill Moon Rock.
“Cyprus apparently had never been told about the 2003 allegations or investigation, which is hard to understand, as the island would be ground zero for the investigation.
“Well, the cat is out of the bag now and it is time for American law enforcement to work with Cyprus and its law enforcement to find this invaluable missing treasure.”
Gutheinz continued, “I want to help recover this moon rock and, failing that, I want to pressure America to do right by Cyprus and give them another moon rock.
“It really makes me angry that people in my government knew in 2003 that Cyprus never received their moon rock and apparently did not tell Cyprus about this or get them a new one.
“There have been so many moon rocks that have been lost, taken and destroyed over the years, but in each case the recipient country is in part to blame.
“However, the Cyprus Goodwill Moon Rock is a gift intended, authorised and then denied. America should make this right and do so quickly and publicly.”
Gutheinz said that along with NASA, three other US agencies have a “compelling interest” to investigate the moon rock’s fate: the FBI, Department of State and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
He also believes that Interpol “has an interest here.”
Gutheinz has assigned a team of graduate students to search for both the Apollo 11 and the Apollo 17 moon rocks which Cyprus should have received.
In an email to Texas congressman Pete Olson’s office he said: “These moon rocks can fetch large amounts of money in private sales, but that is not why America should care about this.
“We dropped the ball here and a nation friendly to America lost out. I hope that this moon rock can be recovered and placed in a Cyprus museum where it belongs.”
A representative of the US embassy in Nicosia, Jason Chue, said “It is a Goodwill rock and we hope that it is found.”
No one from the Cyprus government could be reached for comment.
