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On Monday January 21, 2008 the “High
Committee in charge of the inscription file of Preah
Vihear on the UNESCO World Heritage List” convened in
Phnom Penh.
This High Committee
co-chaired by His Excellency SOK An, Deputy Prime
Minister, Minister in charge of the Office of the
Council of Ministers and His Excellency Mr. HOR Nam
Hong, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs
and International Cooperation is composed of the
delegation’s members who represented the Kingdom of
Cambodia during the 31st session of the World
Heritage Committee, held in Christchurch (New Zealand)
from June 23 until July 2, 2007.
Attended by ten Ambassadors
of the Kingdom of Cambodia who are posted abroad, the
High Committee has reviewed the progress since the
Christchurch Session.
The International community
represented by the World Heritage Committee noted that
the Sacred Site of the Temple of Preah Vihear is of
great international significance and has Outstanding
Universal Value on the basis of criteria (i),
(ii), and (iv), agrees in principle that it should be
inscribed on the World Heritage List and notes that the
process for inscription is in progress. It also
requested the State Party of Cambodia to strengthen
conservation and management at the Site by making
progress in developing an appropriate management plan,
which progress will enable its formal inscription at its
32nd session in 2008. The State Party of
Cambodia is further requested to submit a progress
report to the World Heritage Centre by February 1, 2008.
The relevant Cambodian
Authorities have responded to the best of their ability
and on time, before February 1, 2008 as requested by the
World Heritage Committee, to produce a progress report
on the conditions for conservation of the Sacred Site of
the Temple of Preah Vihear, as well as to report on
progress regarding the preparation of a Management Plan.
The High Committee has taken
note with great satisfaction that—with the support of
the Cambodian National Commission for UNESCO, the
technical assistance offered by the APSARA National
Authority and the outstanding contribution of eminent
experts specializing in Heritage Management sent by
Belgium, the United States of America, France and
India—the NATIONAL AUTHORITY FOR THE SAFEGUARDING AND
DEVELOPMENT OF THE CULTURAL AND NATURAL SITE OF THE
TEMPLE OF PREAH VIHEAR was able to prepare a file
including:
·
the progress report and,
·
a synthesis on progress achieved in a
view of concluding a Management Plan.
The High Committee has also
noted with satisfaction the participation in the
consultation and synthesis meetings of experts sent by
China, Japan and Thailand along with Cambodian experts,
who took part in studies and works carried out onsite at
PREAH VIHEAR, regarding History, (Ministry of Culture
and Fine Arts), Archaeology (APSARA National Authority),
Hydrology (APSARA National Authority), the local
population (APSARA National Authority) and demining (CMAC).
The High Committee has a view
that the utilization of non-existent border dispute as
argument in an attempt to delay the inscription process
is an obvious violation of the Judgment of the
International Court of Justice in 1962.
As for cooperation with the
Kingdom of Thailand within the multilateral framework,
the High Committee has taken note of the announcement
made by His Excellency Mr. SOK An, Deputy Prime
Minister, Minister in charge of the Office of the
Council of Ministers, of the disposition soon to be
taken for the next meeting of Cambodian-Thai Joint
Border Commission, concerning issues pertaining to the
demarcation and marking of the borders. It is
anticipated that necessary steps will be taken to
examine, under two specialized Sub-Committees, issues
regarding consultation for the management of the buffer
zone and modality for economic cooperation—especially
for tourism.
These perspectives lead us to
hope firmly that the Kingdom of Thailand, as affirmed
publicly several times by its representatives, will
actively support the ongoing process for the inscription
of the Sacred Site of the Temple of Preah Vihear on the
UNESCO World Heritage List.
Phnom Penh, 26 January 2008 |
