The World Heritage Committee,
- Having examined Documents WHC/23/45.COM/8B and WHC/23/45.COM/INF.8B1,
- Refers the examination of the proposed buffer zone for the Crac des Chevaliers and Qal’at Salah El-Din, Syrian Arab Republic, back to the State Party in order to allow it to:
- Explain the methodology used to delineate the proposed boundary of the buffer zone, especially in relation to the protection of the wider setting of Qal’at Salah El-Din and important views from the castle, to be able to assess how the new buffer zone will support the visual integrity of the property and its surroundings, to justify the proposed extension of the buffer zone in all directions, beyond the horizontal spread of archaeological structures observed on the ground,
- Revise the perimeter of the proposed buffer zone to allow for greater precision in the definition of the boundary, especially with regard to topographical features which constitute the anchors of the perimeter,
- Clarify the size of the extension to the existing buffer zone (as approved by the World Heritage Committee in 2006 with the size of 129.52 ha) and the total area of the new buffer zone of Qal’at Salah El-Din after the proposed modification,
- Officially endorse through national regulation the proposed extended buffer zone,
- Clarify the need for and the division into different zoning within the proposed buffer zone and consider simplifying it, taking into consideration the extent of applicable controls, the need for protecting features that support the Outstanding Universal Value of the property, the views and the broader setting of the castle, as well as the related management objectives,
- Provide more information on any arrangements made with private landowners of plots within the proposed extension in terms of management of the area, and the timeframe for endorsement of the new buffer zone at the national level.