France and Mexico signed a cooperation agreement on Thursday to combat the illegal trade in cultural goods. Mexico’s foreign minister described the agreement as an important step towards restoring and protecting Mexico’s cultural heritage.

They did not immediately disclose details of the agreement.

The agreement comes after Mexico complained to the French government about a large auction of pre-Hispanic statues and other artefacts held by Christie’s in Paris earlier this year. Paris auction houses often sell objects from the region that are already on the art market, even though activists oppose their return to their country of origin.

Signing a cooperation agreement on Thursday, the foreign ministers of France and Mexico acknowledged that their countries have different laws on protecting cultural property, but promised to work together in the future to fight the illegal art trade.

“The restoration and protection of our cultural monuments is an important issue for us,” said Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard. “I am happy that France is taking part and supporting this initiative, even though our legal systems are very different. We haven’t always been on the same side, but this agreement is very positive.”

He stressed that the agreement includes mechanisms to “prevent, as much as possible, the illegal commercial use of works with historical and cultural significance for Mexican heritage.”

Earlier last year, the Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History protested the sale by Christie’s in Paris. The collection included a 1,500-year-old stone mask from the ancient city of Teotihuacan and an ancient statue of the fertility goddess Cihuateotl, apparently from the Totonac culture. This auction raised more than $3 million.