Due to Cambodia's unusual circumstances following the Paris Peace Agreements in 1991, the country was put under the interim administration of the United Nations Organization, allowing for free and fair national elections and mobilization of international support. In response to His Majesty Samdech Preah NORODOM Sihanouk's appeal, UNESCO committed to conserving and preserving Angkor's monuments and cultural monuments. Taking into consideration the extraordinary circumstances and the special report produced by Prof. Azedine Beschaouch, the Committee of World Heritage's chairman, the Committee of World Heritage agreed to waive some requirements needed under the World Heritage Convention's Operational Guidelines. As a result, the Committee agreed in December 1992 to inscribe the Angkor Site, including its monuments and archaeological zones, on the World Heritage List, based on criteria (I), (II), (III), and (IV) http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/668, consistent with the ICOMOS appraisal. Then, in order to address important conservation issues quickly and effectively, the Committee inscribed Angkor on the list of World Heritage in Danger and recommended that it take the necessary action to deal with the applicable conditions:
1/Enact protective legislation that is appropriate;
2/Establish a national protection agency with a sufficient staff competence;
3/Establish irreversible limits;
4/Specific buffer zones should be defined;
5/Establish international conservation monitoring and cooperation. (Extracted from the World Heritage Committee's Report on the Angkor site's inscription on the World Heritage List)
Following the inscription of Angkor on the UNESCO World Heritage List on December 14, 1992, an International Co-Coordinating Committee for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor (ICC) was created. The World Heritage Committee required the establishment of this ICC-Angkor as one of the requirements for included the Angkor Site on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Since then, the ICC-Angkor has met twice a year, continuously monitoring all activity on the site. It serves as the international community for the coordination of all aid provided by various nations and organizations. It guarantees uniformity across the many initiatives, establishes technical and financial standards, and, when required, draws the attention of all parties involved. The ICC-Angkor is co-chaired by France and Japan, who are represented in Cambodia by their ambassadors. UNESCO has a Standing Secretariat.
Between 1993 and 2003, the Royal Government complied with all applicable requirements. As a result, the World Heritage Committee agreed to remove Angkor off the List of World Heritage in Danger in June 2004.
Most recently, at the end of November 2017, the 1954 Convention Committee (the renowned Hague Convention that preserves cultural heritage in times of war and works to maintain the peace) unanimously voted to give ENHANCED PROTECTION to ANGKOR's site. That is, the international community is universally accountable for preventing any action that may jeopardize ANGKOR's integrity and for preventing harmful conflict situations.
As such, the 1954 Convention supports Cambodia in protecting ANGKOR and reinforces the Royal Government's stance of peace and opposition to war.
