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28COM 15B.80

Decision Text

The World Heritage Committee,
1. Noting with appreciation the conservation efforts made by the national
authorities and the Istanbul municipality as presented in the report submitted
by the State Party, notably in establishing a World Heritage Unit within the
Ministry of Culture and Tourism and an office in Istanbul for project
coordination and monitoring, and the allocation of additional funds for the
protection and conservation of the Historic Areas of Istanbul; and the
completion of the draft 1/5000 scale Urban Conservation and Development
Plan by the Istanbul Municipality currently being studied by the Board for
Protection of Cultural Property,
2. Further noting, the recommendations of the UNESCO expert team regarding
the importance of carrying out the preventive archaeology operation and
planning for new urban projects in areas to be affected by the Marmaray Rail
and Bosphorus Tunnel project,
3. Expressing appreciation for the launch of the public awareness raising
campaign by the Turkish Timber Association and other NGOs for the
protection and enhancement of the timber civil architecture of Istanbul that
forms part of the World Heritage value of the property, and for the progress
being made in the EU-funded urban rehabilitation project in Balat and Fener of
Fatih District,
4. Bearing in mind the delays in the adoption of the Urban Conservation and
Development Plan and the absence since 1996 of urban regulations,
5. Requests the following actions from the State Party:
a) urgent completion and enforcement of the Urban Conservation and
Development Plan,
b) strengthening of the Istanbul Board of Protection of Cultural Property and
the special project design and monitoring unit to ensure compliance with
the conservation plan,
c) develop a more proactive urban management plan to maximize the
opportunities presented by major urban infrastructure projects such as the
Maramary – Bosphorus Rail Tunnel to carry out archaeological surveys
and develop the urban archaeological itineraries and new urban projects,
d) greater national and local authority participation in the on-going EUfunded
urban conservation and renewal project, especially by honouring
the pledge made by the government social housing development agency
(TOKI), to co-finance part of the project, hence paving the way for
government subsidies to protected privately-owned listed buildings,
e) greater care in the conservation techniques applied in the consolidation of
the Theodosian Walls in order not to undermine any further the
authenticity;
6. Decides to defer consideration of the eventual inscription of the property on
the List of World Heritage in Danger until 2006, hence allowing time for the
new dispositions taken by the national and municipal authorities to become
effective.
7. Further requests the State Party to submit, by 1 February 2005, a report on the
progress achieved in the implementation of the above-mentioned
recommendations for examination by the Committee at its 29th session in
2005.

Documents

• Original Decision Document