Tuesday, March 1, 2011

De-listing of Preah Vihear Temple Impossible: UNESCO

2011-02-28
Source: Xinhua

Koichiro Matsuura, special envoy of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said on Monday that it is impossible to de-list Preah Vihear temple from the World Heritage List.

Matsuura made the remarks during a meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Thailand has intention to ask UNESCO to de-list the temple, but I had informed Abhisit Vejjajiva (Thai prime minister) and Kasit Piromya (Thai foreign minister) that de-listing of Preah Vihear temple from the World Heritage List is impossible by all means because Preah Vihear temple is the outstanding universal value,” the Prime Minister’s spokesman Eang Sophalleth quoted Matsuura as saying.

“Preah Vihear temple, the World Heritage site, is under the responsibility of UNESCO, so UNESCO experts will come to evaluate and restore Preah Vihear temple in the future,”Matsuura told the premier.

Meanwhile, Hun Sen informed Matsuura that Thai troops had fired more than 400 shells of mortars and artillery at the temple which caused serious damages to the World Heritage site. The premier also asked the World Heritage Committee (WHC) not to halt the temple’s management plan during its annual meeting in Bahrain in June.

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