| The 12th Plenary session of
the International
Co-ordinating Committee for the Safeguarding and Development
of the Historic Site of Angkor (ICC) was held on November
28-29, 2005 under the honorable presence of the ICC’s
Co-Chairmen; the Ambassadors of Japan and France.
| Designed as an effective
tool for ensuring proper co-ordinating procedure for all concerned
organizations, this plenary session was being held as part
of the biannual meeting designated by the ICC secretariat
to evaluate the over-all performance of various ongoing conservation
projects, to provide insightful adhoc expert recommendations
to the ongoing conservation projects as well as to announce
any information or any new coming projects. |
| The meeting was participated by
senior Cambodian officials including H.E Mr. SOK An, Deputy
Prime Minister, Minister in Charge of the Office of Council
of Ministers and President of the APSARA Authority and drew
greater attention from a large international community. It
also brought together all-fields technical experts from UNESCO,
both Phnom Penh’s and Paris’ offices, and other
respective organizations.
Over their remarks, both the Cambodian delegation and the
international community had emphasied the importance of one
another commitment and cooperation as the prerequisite to
generate smooth and transparent working environment and effective
counterparts. The international community had also extended
to the Cambodian delegation of their satisfactory evaluation
of the APSARA Authority performance, especially its technical
teams in conducting conservation project at the sites of Kauk
Patri, Preah Ko, Bakong and Bat Chum. |
Such praising reflects
the competency of young Cambodian technical experts in undertaking
archeological excavations and conservation projects as well
as the preparation for the APSARA Authority to be fully in
charge of the conservation projects, which are presently under
the management of the international missions.
As the crossed table discussions proceed, the ICC adopted
the report made by UNESCO expert Lucien
CHABASON as follows:
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1. To ensure effective
management of land utilization in Zone 1 and 2, there should
have been some additional clauses added to the Royal Decree
numbered 001for establishing protected cultural zones in
the Siem Reap/Angkor region. Those additional clauses should
be precisely related to the public buildings, public or
private services’ buildings such as handy craft shop,
educational institutions and hospitals.
2. Design an implementation guideline sub-decree on the
legal basis and gathering data to ensure the effectiveness
and transparent working procedure. Especially, it should
serve to promote the general awareness of the APSARA Authority's
land management policy on the protected zones.
3. Put in force technical procedure related to house renovation
and services to be delivered to the habitants of Zone 1
and 2.
4. Immediately operate the inventory process of the newly
constructed buildings regardless of their legality and register
the number of the whole population living within the boundary
of Zone 1 and 2.
5. Publicly inform and notify about the rules and regulations
of the eligibility of land title and set up the cadastral
information within the region of Angkor/Siem Reap by means
of electronic system.
6. Integrate the future objective of the APSARA Authority
for Zone 1 and 2 into the urbanization master plan of Siem
Reap city.
7. Promote capacity building of the APSARA Authority technical
experts in the filed of urbanization, cadastre and the management
of the protected zones.
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| Along with the adoption
of CHABASON’s report, the ICC made the announcement
of three new projects as the international community continual
commitment to preserve the historic site of Angkor. The Agency
for French Development announced the availability of funds
amounted to 4,500,000 Euros for which 4,000,000 Euros are
pledged to conduct the feasibility study for sewage drainage
in the southeastern part of Siem Reap city and to support
the diversion system of rain from the street, and 500,000
Euros for its assistance to the APSARA Authority to develop
needed infrastructure of Cultural and Tourism zone. The Fonds
de Solidarite Prioritaire (FSP) informed of its financial
commitment to four separate programs amounted to 2,750,000
Euros. Lastly, the Japanese government made it financial contribution
through the UNESC/Japanese Funds in Trust amounted to 2,397,781
USD for the third phase of preservation of Bayon Temple.
Recommendations
were also made available to the Cambodian government and
the APSARA Authority by the permanent secretariat of the
ICC and the adhoc experts. The extended recommendations
are as follows:
1. For the second phase of preservation of Bantey Srei to
be implemented by the Swiss team, the ICC requested the
approval and commitment of the Royal Government of Cambodia
(RGC) to settle with the local population over the land
at the immediate vicinity to the temple and the approach
area as well as to construct a bypass road to replace the
existing one.
2. Based on the result of an archeological study conducted
by Professor Jacques Gaucher over the infrastructure and
urban planning of Angkor Thom, the ICC recommended that
the APSARA Authority should adopt that result as the future
reference for the protection and management of Angkor Thom
as well as the precautious measure to avoid any possible
damages of ancient infrastructure.
3. In conformity to the request made by the RGC for ensuring
balance between development and preservation, the ICC will
establish a technical committee for development to be in
charged by the co-chairmen with the assistance of the permanent
secretariat and in full consultation with the APSARA Authority.
4. The ICC praised the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology
for its project to consolidate the West Baray dikes, but
encouraged that it must have the full collaboration of the
APSARA Authority because of the prehistoric, historic values
and tourism potential of the West Baray.
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