Goreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia (Turkey)
The Committee noted with concern the information received on the state of conservation of the site. According to the consultant responsible for evaluation of the site in question, the Turkish authorities and the Ministry of Culture in particular did not seem to be aware of the decisions taken by the Committee in 1985 providing for an extension of the protected area of the Goreme site. According to the consultant's report, this site is undergoing serious changes due mainly to the construction of hotels in the safeguarded sector. After hearing the comments of the delegates emphasizing the gravity of the situation in a site for which UNESCO has issued an appeal for an international safeguard campaign, and after receiving information from ICCROM concerning preparations for a seminar in Goreme in 1993, the Committee asked the World Heritage Centre to write to the Turkish authorities reminding them of its decisions. The Deputy Director of the Centre indicated in this regard that the Turkish authorities had requested assistance from the Centre in setting up a coordinating committee for this site, which comes under the authority of several ministries.