27TS.12 23PS

 

12. Ta Keo:

With regard to recent developments on this work site, the ad hoc group of experts:

12.1 Notes the absence of stone conservation specialists during their recent visit in conjunction with this ICC meeting;

12.2. Notes that for this very specific type of work, there is a gap between the theory prescribed for the work and actual implementation;

12.3.Recommends as a matter of urgency that the project managers establish close contact with the APSARA Stone Conservation Unit and partner up with it in order to put back on track and redefine the intervention methods being applied here;,

12.4. Also notes over the past few months an overall drop in quality regarding newly cut stone and invites the project managers to build specialized capacity in the team now on site;

12.5Given the scope and visibility of this major monument, illustrating the valuable contribution of the government of the People’s Republic of China to the safeguarding of the Angkor monument site, the experts invite the ICC standing secretariat to hold an in-depth meeting in conjunction with the next technical session to enable the senior staff of the Chinese Academy of Cultural Heritage to share in a detailed interchange with the ad hoc group of experts regarding the different aforementioned points and the overall progress of work on this monument.

12.6. To that end, invites the Chinese team to submit a file detailing the operations planned for the years to come, including the planning and the different sets of specialized staff that will be called upon to share in them.

12.7. Finally, the experts express the wish that this program regain its former level of excellence in line with World Heritage norms, strongly recommend that the ICC and the APSARA National Authority invite the Chinese Academy of Cultural Heritage team to postpone for now any new intervention on this work site with regard to stone conservation treatment and substitution with the use of new stones.