CHAIRPERSON OF WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE CALLS FOR HELP TO CLEAN UP GALAPAGOS

             Paris, January 29 (No.2001-12) – The Chairperson of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, Peter King (Australia), has called for international assistance in clean-up operations to help overcome the pollution caused by the oil spill of the Jessica merchant vessel which capsized in waters near San Cristobal in the Galapagos, listed as a World Heritage Site.

             Echoing an appeal made by UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura on January 22 for international co-operation to help save the archipelago’s unique flora and fauna, Mr King also urged the Galapagos National Park Service to improve its capacity to regulate shipping traffic in the Archipelago to prevent similar incidents from recurring in the future.

             Mr King declared: “This incident highlights the urgent need to address international conventions dealing with shipping to ensure that all countries, and the 162 States Parties to the World Heritage Convention in particular, provide special measures in their domestic legislation to protect and conserve marine and coastal World Heritage properties.”

             Mr King further deplored the fact that “none of the international agreements and treaties on shipping or transport of oil address the need for special measures to protect the natural heritage of our oceans.”

             “Concerted international action must be undertaken to clean up the oil spill and it is to be hoped that public contributions to UNESCO’s World Heritage Fund will make this operation possible,” Mr King said.

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 Donations to the World Heritage Fund, earmarked for the Galapagos, can be sent to:

UNESCO Account No. 949-1-191558
Chase Manhattan Bank, International Money Transfer Division
4 Metrotech Center, Brooklyn
New York, NY 11245 USA
Swift code: CHASUS33 - ABA No 0210-0002-1