Palmyra museum director: UNESCO does not keep its promises

09.11.2017, Syria.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) does not keep its promises to help with restoration of Palmyra – one of the planet’s ancient cities, Palmyra museum director Mohammed al-Asaad says, TASS reports on the 9th of November.

“Our directorate of antiquities interacts directly with UNESCO now, but there is no promised help yet, – said al-Assad and added, – we are in Baal’s temple – it was completely destroyed, only an arch remains. An amphitheater was blown up. Palmyra is not only UNESCO’s, but the whole world’s cultural heritage”.

“We understand that it will be up to us (to restore Palmyra – ed.) if there is no help from the whole world. If the global community helps – we will be restoring the city for a five years minimum. If only we will work – I can’t even tell the time”, Palmyra museum director said. He emphasized that Russian help in difficult time for Syria is valued highly in the country, “I want to say thanks to people of Russia and to Russian Aerospace Forces. There was a lot of Russians here in the past”.

The city of Palmyra, one of ancient civilization centers, was under control of ISIL (organization banned in Russia) for a long time. The city was liberated by Syrian army in March, 2017. Russian sappers demined the city. Palmyra museum director Mohammed al-Asaad headed the museum after the city’s liberation from the militants who killed his 82 year old father Khaled al-Assad in 2015. The latter directed the museum from 1963 till 2003 and was a unique specialist in ancient Aramaic language.

Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency

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