Cambodian Foreign Minister Receives UNESCO Director-General

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation held talks here this morning with visiting Director-General of UNESCO H.E. Ms. Irina Bokova.

On behalf of the Royal Government and the people of Cambodia, H.E. Hor Namhong profoundly thanked UNESCO for its support to Cambodia, especially in the fields of culture and education.

He also expressed his gratitude to UNESCO for assisting Cambodia in listing the Khmer sacred Preah Vihear Temple as a World Heritage Site, and in sending its experts to the temple to examine, assess and repair the damages.

Regarding Cambodia’s request to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague to interpret its Judgment of June 15, 1962 in the case concerning the Temple of Preah Vihear, H.E. Hor Namhong told his guest that the Cambodian and Thai governments had agreed to abide by the court’s ruling in a friendly and peaceful manner by maintaining peace and stability along the border.

For her part, H.E. Ms. Irina Bokova welcomed the two neighboring countries’ move to resort to peaceful solution for their border dispute, stressing that it is in line with UNESCO’s aim of protecting and conserving world heritage sites.

The UNESCO director-general is in Cambodia to attend the 37th session of the World Heritage Committee, taking place from June 16 to 27 in Phnom Penh Capital City and Siem Reap province, home to Angkor temples.

Sourced: AKP