Page 11 - aruba-today-20180428

A11
WORLD NEWS Saturday 28 april 2018

UNESCO against Colombia's commercial recovery of a shipwreck

By LLAZAR SEMINI,
TIRANA, Albania (AP) —
The United Nations cultural
agency on Friday called on
Colombia not to commer-
cially exploit the 300-year-
old wreck of the Spanish
galleon San Jose, which is
believed to contain a car-
go worth billions of dollars.
A UNESCO experts' body
protecting underwater
cultural heritage on Friday
sent a letter to Colombian
Culture Minister Mariana
Garces Cordoba express-
ing concern that recover-
ing the treasure for sale
rather than for its historical
value "would cause the ir-
retrievable loss of signifi-
cant heritage."
The letter was made avail-
able by the body's Alba-
nian head, Auron Tare.
"Allowing the commercial
exploitation of Colombia's
cultural heritage goes
against the best scientific
standards and interna-
tional ethical principles as
laid down especially in the
UNESCO Underwater Cul-
tural Heritage Convention,"
the letter said. In this Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015 file photo, Ernesto Montenegro, Director of the Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History of
"The San Jose shipwreck Colombia, talks to the media while he shows a picture of remains of the Galleon San Jose during a press conference in Cartagena,
represent cultural heri- Colombia.
tage," it said, adding UNES- Associated Press
CO would be ready to offer
its expertise. of British warships. tion is a state secret. The complained of "a constant was reportedly 150 feet (45
Colombia has not signed It is believed to have been ship sank somewhere in the disregard of best archae- meters) long, with a beam
the U.N. Convention on carrying 11 million gold and wide area off Colombia's ological standards" from of 45 feet (14 meters) and
the Law of the Sea, which silver coins, emeralds and Baru peninsula, south of treasure hunters dealing armed with 64 guns.
would subject it to inter- other precious cargo from Cartagena, in the Carib- with the San Jose. Colombia has said that
national standards and re- Spanish-controlled colo- bean Sea. Tare said they had learned researchers found bronze
quire it to inform UNESCO of nies, which could be worth The ship, which maritime that "the recovery of arti- cannons that are in good
its plans for the wreck. billions of dollars if ever re- experts consider the holy facts from the Spanish Gal- condition, along with ce-
Colombian authorities in- covered. grail of Spanish colonial leon San Jose will be held ramic and porcelain vases
tend to recover the San The wreck was discovered shipwrecks, has also been contrary to the UNESCO and personal weapons.
Jose, ending a three-cen- three years ago with the the subject of a legal battle convention, not in a sci- The researchers say that
tury saga since June 8, help of an international in the U.S., Colombia and entific ethical way and for the specifications of the
1708, when the ship with team of experts and au- Spain over who owns the commercial profit of a third cannons leave no doubt
600 people aboard sank tonomous underwater ve- rights to the sunken trea- party." that the wreck is that of the
while trying to outrun a fleet hicles, and its exact loca- sure. UNESCO experts have The three-decked San Jose San Jose.q