Cambodia Elected to World Heritage Committee

Cambodia was elected for the first time to the 21-member World Heritage Committee after voting in Paris came to a close Monday night, officials said yesterday.

Cambodia was one of 30 nations originally vying for the 12 seats up for grabs this year, and sent out a battery of letters and envoys around the world to rally support for its application, said Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers.

Membership to the committee allows Cambodia a vote in deciding which cultural and historic sites make the annual World Heritage List, and also gives the country a say in how the World Heritage Fund allocates money for the preservation of historic sites.

Thailand, which Cambodia had accused of trying to sabotage its bid for membership of the committee, also secured a seat on Monday, and the challenge for the neighbors committee.

At a roundtable discussion in Phnom Penh last week, senators, parliamentarians territorial dispute over the Preah Vihear temple to derail Cambodia?s efforts to join the heritage committee.

?Thailand stated again that to elect Cambodia as [a] member of the World Heritage Committee will ignite and instigate the conflict between the two countries,? the Council of Ministers said in a statement released on Friday.

?We would love to see everyone work together in peace,? Mr Siphan said, adding that the looked forward to seeing Cambodia share its experience in preserving historic sites with others.

?The committee is not meant to deal with the politics or territorial claims,? he added. ?It is culture only.?

Quick to capitalize on the membership of the committee, Prime Minister Hun Sen called it ?another new pride for the Kingdom of Cambodia.?

?It is the honor of Cambodia and it is also the honor of all Khmer people,? Mr Hun Sen said in a speech at the National institute of Education in Phnom Penh.

The World Heritage Committee?s next annual meeting will be held in Brazil in June.

Sourced = The Cambodia Daily