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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

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UNESCO World Heritage Committee postpones decision on Kosovo-Metohija heritage

Belgrade/Brasilia, 28 July 2010

Minister of Culture Nebojsa Bradic announced that a debate on Serbia’s proposal on the condition of the preservation of Medieval Monuments in Kosovo-Metohija has been postponed in the 34th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Brasilia today.

Bradic told Tanjug news agency that today’s agenda was to include a proposal of the decision on the state of Medieval Monuments in Kosovo-Metohija inscribed on the World Heritage List in Danger.

There was a debate in the Committee yesterday about this item of the agenda. Several member states of the Committee took part in the debate, including the Russian Federation, France, Switzerland, Mexico and Mali. Serbia also took part in the discussion and pledged for the adoption of its proposal regarding the state of conservation of Medieval Monuments in Kosovo-Metohija and urged that this body of the UN is not politicised, said Bradic.

The Minister of Culture said that France and Switzerland suggested that the debate is postponed until the next meeting of the Committee, to take place next year.

Eleven countries voted in favour, three abstained and six voted for the debate to take place, he outlined.

The Russian Federation, China, Brazil, South Africa, Mali and Mexico supported Serbia, Bradic highlighted.

Bradic noted that during the session in Brasilia, the UNESCO Committee should confirm the preliminary list of cultural goods which will be nominated for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The nominees also include Serbian Caricin Grad, Manasija monastery, the town of Bac, Rajacke Pimnice and Smederevo Fortress, added Bradic.

The Culture Minister took the opportunity during the session of the Committee, which was attended by more than 1,200 delegates, to open an exhibition of Serbian monuments inscribed on the World Heritage List and to present a publication "World Heritage Sites – Serbia".

Presenting Serbian cultural heritage from UNESCO's list is especially important at this moment because our country has been nominated for the position of member of the Committee for World Heritage for the period from 2011 to 2015, observed Bradic.