Decision 28 COM 15B.63

28 COM 15B.63

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined the state of conservation of this property,

2. Commends the State Party for having favourably considered the recommendations of the international urban planning expert and ICOMOS joint mission of July 2002 and the UNESCO monitoring mission findings which took place in June 2004;

3. Notes with appreciation the creation of a technical committee composed of national and local authorities to reach a compromise solution, being elaborated between the national and local authorities, to reduce the height of the commercial complex in order to minimize the negative impact of this high-rise building on this World Heritage property;

4. Encourages the State Party to continue its efforts to nominate the extension of the World Heritage property of Meidan Emam, to include the historic axis consisting of Friday Mosque, the Bazaars, the ancient bridges, the Zayanderoud River, and the South Chahar Bagh Avenue;

5. Requests the State Party to continue their efforts to ensure the conservation of the authentic setting and integrity of the historic city of Esfahan surrounding the Meidan Emam World Heritage property;

6. Further requests the State Party, particularly the local authorities, to pursue the implementation of the decision adopted by the National Technical Committee to reduce the height of the Jahan-Nama Commercial Complex to minimize the negative impact this Complex causes upon the setting, function, and integrity of the Meidan Emam World Heritage property and Historic City of Esfahan;

7. Requests UNESCO and ICOMOS to closely monitor the progress in the implementation of the decision of the National Technical Committee and to provide assistance if requested by the State Party;

8. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2005, a progress report on the actions undertaken to mitigate the negative impact of the Commercial Complex to be examined by the World Heritage Committee at its 29th session in 2005.