Press & Quick Reaction Unit
PHNOM PENH, November 13, 2014 (PRU) –
Ambassadors from China, U.S., and India hailed Cambodia’s establishment of the International Coordinating Committee
(ICC-Preah Vihear) which aims at restoration, preservation and sustainable
development for the 900-year-old temple of Preah Vihear, said Deputy Prime
Minister H.E. Dr. Sok An. He added that this move will not be harmful to Thailand.
H.E. Dr. Sok An, Minister in charge of
the Office of the Council of Ministers, told the diplomats in separate meetings
on Thursday that the executive council of the Paris-based UNESCO decided on 23
October 2014 to support Cambodia’s resolution to set up the ICC-Preah Vihear.
This initiative has been recognized in principle by the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) since the
900-year-old temple, located on the top of 525-meter cliff, was listed as
UNESCO’s World Heritage sites in 2008.
In the meetings with the ambassadors,
H.E. Dr. Sok An said that 30 out of 40 countries including Thailand, who is member
of UNESCO, supported the plan. Cambodia expects to hold the inaugural session
of ICC-Preah Vihear on 3 December this year in Siem Reap, Cambodia, the home of
the famed Angkor, which was also inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1992.
H.E. Dr. Sok An explained to the
diplomats that the ICC- Preah Vihear deals with cultural heritage only and will
not have any prejudices to International Court of Justice (ICJ) judgments and
boundary of the two countries.
He assured the ambassadors that the ICC-Preah
Vihear will not run contrary to the judgments by the ICJ, both the judgment in
1962 and interpretation of the judgement by the Court in 2013.
On 11 November 2013, the International
Court of Justice unanimously reaffirmed a 1962 ruling by the court that
Cambodia has sovereignty over the whole territory of the promontory of Preah
Vihear. In consequence, Thailand was obliged to withdraw all Thai soldiers,
police, guards or park keepers stationed there.
“ICC-Preah Vihear has nothing to do with
border and politics. It only deals with the cultural heritage aspects of Preah
Vihear temple,” H.E. Dr. Sok An told Chinese ambassador Bu Jianguo.
In response, Her Excellency Bu Jianguon
said she is pleased with Cambodia’s efforts to get this plan moves forward.
“ICC- Preah Vihear is seen as yet another
of Cambodia’s success since Cambodia has experienced a great deal from
ICC-Angkor,” she said.
H.E Bu Jianguo said that, “The more the participants
at the ICC-Preah Vihear, the more helpful it will be.”
In a separate meeting with H.E. Dr. Sok
An, U.S. Ambassador William E. Todd said that U.S. welcomes this move, and is
pleased to see Cambodia and Thailand enjoying peaceful cooperation.
H.E. Todd said that he will attend the
inaugural session of ICC-Preah Vihear on December 3 in Siem Reap, and“is
optimistic and positive” with the establishment of
ICC-Preah Vihear.
H.E Indian Ambassador Dinesh K. Patnaik
said that his government is supportive of the plan and will look forward to it.
The establishment of ICC-Preah Vihearis based
on the model of ICC-Angkor.
Angkor was first inscribed on the World
Heritage List in 1992. In 1993, the first Inter-Governmental Conference was
held and was followed by the establishment of the International Coordinating
Committee for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor
(ICC-Angkor), to protect, preserve and develop this vast cultural heritage
site.
The second inter-governmental conference
in 2003, held in Paris, spelled out guidelines on heritage and sustainable
development.
In 2003, Cambodia hosted the 3rd
conference in Siem Reap, where cultural experts, archaeologists, and officials
from more than 30 countries met and exchanged views on how advanced technology
could be applied for the cultural preservation of Angkor.
End.
