UNMIK/PR/1306
PRISTINA – SRSG Søren Jessen-Petersen met Koichiro Matsuura, Director General of UNESCO in Paris this afternoon. They discussed co-operation between UNMIK and UNESCO, the future donors’ conference, and protection of cultural heritage in Kosovo.
The SRSG briefed the Director General on UNMIK’s efforts in the preservation of cultural heritage in Kosovo, in particular, measures that may be taken for the Decani Monastery, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2003. At the request of the SRSG, the Director General agreed to provide UNMIK with guidance, outlining the criteria for the protection of the World Heritage Site.
The SRSG reiterated that the funds allocated by the PISG and UNMIK for the reconstruction of damaged or destroyed monuments during the March violence are still available and the reconstruction process can be restarted as soon as the Orthodox Church rejoins the process.
It was agreed during the meeting that the donor conference, aimed to collect funds for the protection of the heritage in Kosovo belonging to all communities will be held on 13 May 2005 in Paris. The conference will be organised by UNESCO in close co-operation with the Council of Europe and UNMIK.
The SRSG said that protection of all cultural and religious monuments in Kosovo is a very important element in fulfilling the Standards for Kosovo and he was very happy to learn that UNESCO fully supports the process.