The 17th Plenary Meeting of the International Coordinating Committee for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historical Site of Angkor (ICC) (25/11/2010)

H.E. Dr. Sok An, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister in Charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers, and Chairman of the APSARA Authority, presided over the 17^th Plenary Meeting of the ICC. This event was held on 25 November 2010 at Sokha Angkor Hotel, Siem Reap.

H.E. Mr. Masafumi KOROKI, Ambassador of Japan to the Kingdom of Cambodia, and H.E. Mr. Christian CONNA, Ambassador of the Republic of France to the Kingdom of Cambodia, as co-chairmen of the ICC-Angkor, had successively delivered their interventions which highly appreciated the ICC for its clear direction in the safeguarding and sustainable development of the historical site of Angkor, which is in line with the implementation of the spirit of coordination under the scope of the committee's jurisdiction.

H.E. Dr. Sok An had recalled a number of issues regarding the efforts made by the APSARA Authority as well as other development partners in safeguarding and developing the Angkor Site. H.E. Dr. Sok An had also informed the Royal Government’s desire to host the 36^th Plenary Meeting of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) in 2012, which is the 40^th anniversary of the 1972 Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage and the 20^th anniversary of inscribing the Angkor Wat Temple on the World Heritage List.  

On the occasion, the Deputy Prime Minister called upon various permanent member countries of the World Heritage Committee; namely Australia, Korea, France, and Switzerland; to support the Royal Government’s candidature. Regarding the desire to host the WHC’s 36^th Plenary Meeting, he further highlighted adequate potentialities and capabilities of Cambodia in hosting the event. In particular, Siem Reap Province does not only possess potentiality in cultural heritage, but it also possesses many other qualities to welcome the WHC’s Plenary Meeting. One of the qualities is that the Province is capable of ensuring full security and excellent hospitality with sufficient infrastructure, hotels, meeting halls and recreation centers for the meeting.

H.E. Dr. Sok An also stressed that from 2011 onwards, there will be direct flight from France and Germany to the Kingdom of Cambodia, which is another additional potentiality for travelers and accommodation services for foreign tourists coming to Cambodia.