1st LD Writethru: World Heritage Committee to reconvene 40th session in Istanbul on Sunday

The World Heritage Committee said Saturday it will recovene its 40th session in Istanbul on Sunday, following one-day suspension over a coup attempt in Turkey.

"Please be advised that the World Heritage Committee will reconvene on Sunday," the committee said in a notice to the press.

"The committee will examine the remaining nominations and other priorities on its agenda," the notice said, adding "this one-day meeting will mark the conclusion of the 40th session."

The panel under the UN cultural agency UNESCO has planned an 11-day session until July 20, but a coup attempt that broke out on Friday night in Turkey prompted the suspension of the meeting for Saturday.

Things are returning to normal but the dust has not settled in Turkey.

Atop the committee's agenda will be a review of the nominations of the remaining 18 sites to the World Heritage List, as it examined and decided on Friday to add to the prestigious list nine other properties nominated for this year.

The panel was formed in 1977 to enforce the World Heritage Convention and manage the heritage list created based on the convention. Endit