BAGHDAD, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi President Barham Salih on Tuesday confirmed his full support for Iraq's ancient site of Babylon to be re-inscribed on the World Heritage List.
Salih made the remarks during his meeting with Karrar al-Abadi, governor of Babil Province, and his delegation in the capital Baghdad, according to a statement by the presidency's media office.
Salih expressed his "full support to the efforts exerted to inscribe Babylon's antiquities on the World Heritage List in a way that befits the cultural history of the province," the statement said.
Meanwhile, al-Abadi gave a detailed explanation about his province's general situation and expressed gratitude for Salih's support for Babylon's re-inclusion on the World Heritage List.
Located some 100 km south of Baghdad, the ancient site of Babylon is considered one of the most prominent archaeological sites in the world.
Because of the damaging maintenance by the regime of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, the ancient site was removed from the World Heritage List of the UNESCO.
During the past years, the provincial government of Babil launched a campaign under the slogan "Babylon is a Human and an International Heritage," in order to facilitate the return of the ancient site on the World Heritage List.
