US government gives grant for conservation of Angkor temple

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia - The United States will donate nearly US$1 million (�641,310) for conservation of the centuries-old Bakheng temple, a famous cultural icon in Cambodia's Angkor temple complex, the embassy said in a statement Wednesday.

It said the US$978,705 (�630,000) will be given to the nonprofit World Monuments Fund, a New York-based archaeological group that has been doing work at the temple since 2004.

Piper Campbell, the embassy's charge d'Affaires, announced the grant at a meeting of government officials and representatives of donor countries in Siem Reap province Wednesday.

The officials gathered there for a two-day meeting to review restoration and development works for the Angkor archaeological park.

"Conserving its monuments, which are a crucial part of Cambodian history, is one way to promote peace and prosperity in the country," Campbell said in the statement.

The Angkor temples are Cambodia's main tourist attraction, earning hundreds of millions of dollars (euros) for the cash-strapped Southeast Asian country.

Angkor, the capital of several Hindu kings who ruled over large swaths of Southeast Asia, flourished from the 9th to the 14th centuries, leaving a legacy of architectural splendor in its myriad of temples, including the country's cultural icon, Angkor Wat.

Damaged by warfare and looting in the past, Angkor's temples now face the threats posed by deforestation, heavy rains and tourist influx.

Sitting on top of a hill, the 10th century Bakheng temple is a popular site for tourists climbing to catch a glimpse of the sunset.

About 3,000 tourists climb the hill in the space of just a few hours to see the sunset everyday.

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World Monuments Fund: http://www.wmf.org/