Cairo will suspend its cooperation with France's Louvre Museum until it sends back stolen Pharaonic steles belonging to Egypt.

Louvre Museum bought the Egyptian steles in 1980 although French officials knew the artifacts were stolen.

Egyptian officials called on the Louvre Museum to return the country's stolen Pharaonic steles, AFP reported.

They are suspending all cooperation with the world's most visited museum until it returns stolen Pharaonic steles, said Antiquities Chief Zahi Hawass.

“We made the decision to end any cooperation with the Louvre until they return the five steles,” Hawass said, adding that decision had been made two months ago.

Egypt's move will affect conferences organized with the museum, as well as work carried out by the Louvre on the Pharaonic necropolis of Saqqara, south of the capital Cairo.