Decision : 31 COM 7A.26
The Walled City of Baku with the Shirvanshah’s Palace and the Meidan Tower (Azerbaijan) (C 958)
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-07/31.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 30 COM 7A.29, adopted at its 30th session (Vilnius, 2006),
3. Notes the significant progress made with setting up management systems, the development of an "Integrated Area Management Action Plan" and welcomes the implementation of the Presidential Decree by the Director of the Historical-Architectural Reserve Icheri Sheher (SDHARIS), aiming at halting demolition and building construction in the Walled City area;
4. Requests the State Party to submit the completed "Integrated Area Management Action Plan" to ICOMOS and the World Heritage Centre for review, to adopt it and integrate it into the urban planning system of the City of Baku, together with a draft statement of outstanding universal value and updated boundaries for the property;
5. Also requests the State Party, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS, to develop a draft Statement of Outstanding Universal Value including the conditions of integrity and authenticity, for examination by the Committee at its 32nd session in 2008;
6. Further requests the State Party, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS, to develop a draft statement of the desired state of conservation for the property based on its Outstanding Universal Value;
7. Requests furthermore the State Party to ensure that the new management structure is made fully operational and adequately resourced as soon as possible;
8. Recommends that the building inventory be further elaborated and maintained as a digitized information database for management and planning purposes;
9. Encourages the State Party to elaborate guidelines for the rehabilitation and restoration of historic buildings, as well as the design of new constructions and street furniture, preferably as part of the "Integrated Area Management Action Plan"; and that a training strategy as well as a risk preparedness plan be prepared for heritage conservation in the Walled City area;
10. Decides to evaluate the possibility for removing the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger when the corrective measures have been carried out and the desired state of conservation has been achieved;
11. Further requests the State Party to provide the World Heritage Centre with an updated report by 1 February 2008, on the state of conservation of the property, and progress with the implementation of the "Integrated Area Management Action Plan" and the new management structure, for examination by the Committee at its 32nd session in 2008.
12. Decides to retain the Walled City of Baku with the Shirvanshah's Palace and Maiden Tower (Azerbaijan) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Decisions Report2007 Walled City of Baku with the Shirvanshah's Palace and Maiden Tower
