BANGKOK, June 28 — Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Tuesday said the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director-General Irina Bokova has sent a letter expressing her regret over Thailand’s decision to withdraw from the World Heritage Convention.
Mr Abhisit, before the weekly cabinet meeting, showed reporters a letter from the UNESCO chief and said briefly that he would address a news conference on Thailand’s stance after today’s Cabinet meeting.
National Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti, as head of the Thai delegation to the World Heritage Committee meeting in Paris, will report the issue to the Cabinet and agencies concerned will study the implication of the UNESCO agency’s resolution on Cambodia’s management plan for Preah Vihear after Thailand leaves the convention.
In her letter dated June 26, Ms Bokova has expressed deep regret with Mr Suwit’s declaration on the Thai intention to leave the 1972 World Heritage Convention.
“The World Heritage Committee did not discuss the management plan of the Preah Vihear temple nor did it request for any reports to be submitted on its state of conservation. Moreover, it needs to be clarified that UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre never pushed for a discussion of the Management Plan by the Committee,” Ms Bogova said in the letter.
“The decision of the World Heritage Committee on the Preah Vihear Temple World Heritage site in Cambodia only reaffirms the need to ensure the protection and conservation of the property from any damage, the world cultural body chief said, “It further encourages the two countries to use the 1972 Convention as a tool to support conservation, sustainable development and dialogue.”
The UNESCO director-general expressed the hope that Thailand “will carefully consider its future course of action in respect of this important Convention and will continue to be an active participant in the international cooperation for the protection of the world’s outstanding heritage.”
Meanwhile, Panithan Wattanayakorn, deputy secretary-general to the prime minister, said Thailand has no objection to the work of UNESCO in preservation and protection of the world’s cultural and natural properties, but it should not have any eventually impact on border disputes.
Under the management plan, Cambodia wants to use the entire area surrounding Preah Vihear, so that Thailand must reject the plan, Dr Panithan said.
The acting government spokesman also affirmed that the overall situation at the Thai-Cambodian border remains normal, without the troop reinforcements claimed by Cambodia, adding that Thailand is ready to cooperate with Cambodia and the international community to solve the dispute but would not let Cambodia encroach into Thai territory. (MCOT online news)
