XVIII.1 The Colombian Delegate emphazised the need to analyse the spirit and objectives of the World Heritage Convention in the context of recent developments and negotiations related to environmental issues, in particular the outcome of the UNCED meeting held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. The Delegate requested the Secretariat to prepare for the next Bureau meeting a reflection on possible relations between the concept of the world natural heritage and sustainable development and the linkages between the World Heritage Convention, the Biodiversity Convention and other Conventions. The Director of the World Heritage Centre confirmed the importance UNESCO, in general, and the Centre, more specifically, attribute to linking the various conventions, and that UNESCO is actively involved in follow-up actions to the Rio Conference.
XVIII.2 The Delegate of Spain informed the Committee that at the invitation of the Spanish Government, an expert meeting would be held in 1994 on cultural itineraries, such as the Route of Santiago de Compostela. The Observer of Canada referred to a related subject matter and informed that in September 1994 a meeting would be held on "World Heritage Canals". The Committee welcomed these initiatives.
XVIII.3 The Delegate of the United States referred to Document WHC-93/CONF.002/8 on "Global and Thematic Studies" and encouraged ICOMOS and the Centre to continue their efforts to implement these studies, taking into consideration work already carried out.
XVIII.4 ICOMOS drew the attention of the Committee to the serious infrastructural problems in the Potsdam area in Germany. The Committee expressed its concern about the situation. The German Delegation expressed its readiness to collaborate with ICOMOS and the Centre to study this matter.
XVIII.5 The Delegation of France presented to the Committee a draft declaration concerning the destruction of the heritage in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Representative of the Director-General and several of the delegates confirmed that the draft declaration was in line with the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, as well as those of the General Conference of UNESCO. Reference was also made to the statement by the Deputy Director-General a.i. at the inaugural session on the violation of international law.
XVIII.6 The proposed declaration was unanimously adopted by the Committee, as amended by the Delegation of Italy. (See Annex.) The Committee requested the Secretariat to ensure the widest possible diffusion of the declaration in various languages.