By Ek Tha
PHNOM PENH, March 5, 2013 (PRU) – His Excellency Deputy Prime Minister
Dr. Sok An highly valued cooperation with France and said that
sustainable development is needed to benefit the poor as well as for the
conservation and preservation of Cambodia’s historic temples.
In a meeting with Patrick Devedjian, the President of the General
Council of Hauts-de-Seine in France, H.E Dr. Sok An said that France’s
assistance is vital for the socio-economic development of Cambodia.
Mr. Patrick Devedjian is visiting Cambodia from 4 to 8 March. He is
accompanied by three elected members of the General Council.
Since 2006, local development projects in Cambodia funded by French
assistance total approximately €5.3 million, according to the French
Embassy.
Mr. Devedjian reaffirmed the support of the Hauts-de-Seine for the
prevention of malnutrition and for the development of agriculture in
Cambodia. He said that it is very important for sustainable development
within Siem Reap, the home of Angkor.
His Excellency Dr. Sok An, who is Chairman of the Apsara National
Authority, expressed his view that the local community need to be
assured that it will benefit from tourism, which can contribute to
poverty alleviation by encouraging activities such as growing vegetables
and food for the growing tourism industry in the province.
The Kingdom of Wonder has high potential in tourism, especially
cultural tourism, which contributes significantly to the increase in
foreign tourist arrivals to nearly 3 million a year, Dr. Sok An said.
The Deputy Prime Minister, who is also Minister in Charge of the Office
of the Council of Ministers, thanked Paris for co-chairing with Tokyo
the International Coordinating Committee for the Safeguarding and
Development of the Historic Site of Angkor (ICC-Angkor), established in
1992.
The Royal Government established the Apsara Authority in 1995 to
oversee research, protection and conservation of cultural heritage, as
well as urban and tourist development, in Siem Reap province.
More than 60 temple restoration projects have been implemented in Siem
Reap province, with support from 17 countries, said the Deputy Prime
Minister.
The restoration of the 11th-century Baphuon was completed by the French
in 2011. The renovation began in the 1960s but the project was halted
by Cambodia’s civil war before it was resumed in 1995.
Baphuon is one of the country’s biggest temples after Angkor Wat, the
largest structure in the famed Angkor complex. The temple was built
around 1060 by King Udayadityavarman II in honour of the Hindu God
Shiva; Baphuon was the country’s largest religious building at the time,
35 metres high and covering 130 by 104 metres.
In the 16th century, a 70-metre reclining Buddha statue was built into a
wall on the second level using stones from the top of the temple.