Ine provision of technical preservation information is one one of ICCROM's most important international services. ICCROM's conservation library and documentation service are unmatched and efforts are currently underway in the United States to take even greater advantage of this resource. Technical publications and meetings provide a unique vehicle for exchange of information among professionals in many nations. An example of this was the multi-nation symposium held in 1980 at Santa Fe, N.M., on the problems and techniques of adobe conservation. Jointly sponsored by ICCROM, the National Park Service and the International Council on Monuments and Sites, American professionals met with their overseas counterparts to learn improved techniques for dealing with some of our most important cultural resources in the Southwest.

It should be noted that our experience with ICCROM confirms its reputation for quality and professionalism. ICCROM's administration has been

remarkably free of the political overtones and bureaucratic hindrances that led to United States withdrawal from UNESCO. ICCROM is lean, with an importance to international and domestic historic preservation activities that far exceeds its modest size and budget.

The Council interacts with ICCROM in a number of ways. It regularly publicizes training opportunities for Americans, screens applications and recommends candidates for ICCROM consideration. The Council works with the State Department in processing the United States membership payment and recommends the official delegation to the biennial ICCROM General Assembly. Last year our Chairman led that delegation and served as vice president of the General Assembly. Finally, the Council serves as the United States coordination point for conferences, symposia and technical assistance involving the United States and American preservationists. It is important to note that the Council contracts with US/ICOMOS to assist in performing these functions,

The Council has other involvement in the area of international historic preservation. Section 401 of the NHPA Amendments of 1980 directs the Secretary of the Interior to cooperate with the Council in coordinating U.S. participation in the World Heritage convention. In this capacity, the Council sits on the Secretary's Interagency Panel for World Heritage. This continues the involvement of the Council in the World Heritage program that dates back to the early 1970's when the Council's Executive Director, Robert Garvey, was one of the principal participants in the creation of the World Heritage Conservation.

The Council took an active role in the establishment of the U.S. National Committee for the International Council on Monuments and Sites (US/ICOMOS). This private, non-profit organization provides a unique opportunity for American citizens interested in international historic preservation to learn about and participate in preservation activities abroad. The Council was instrumental in its creation and, along with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Smithsonian Institution and the National Park Service, continues to play an active part in its governing body and through cooperative activities. US/ICOMOS has grown dramatically in the past few years as more Americans come to appreciate the international dimension of historic preservation. We are particularly pleased to note that the 1987 General Assembly of ICOMOS, the major biennial event in international preservation circles, will be held in Washington and wish to thank the Congress for the support it has given this event.

On a

The Council also has day-to-day involvement with preservation abroad. regular basis, we meet with foreign preservation experts who are touring the United States. Often we are called on to assist in linking such people up with their U.S. counterparts. We have been actively involved in coordinating bilateral exchanges with the Soviet Union and China. Our close working relationship with the State Department often results in our providing informal advice on a variety of international preservation

matters.

In closing, I would like to make some observations on the future of this important dimension of the national historic preservation program. First, UNESCO was an important vehicle for the participation of the U.S. in the world arena of historic preservation. Approximately $2 million of the annual U.S. contribution to UNESCO supported cultural heritage activities. To my knowledge, there is a lack of comparable U.S. commitment currently. Despite assurances that the U.S. UNESCO contribution could be redirected to support alternate programs with the same objectives, budget constraints required eliminating this expenditure. The State Department has requested agencies to consider the use of existing program monies to maintain an appropriate U.S. commitment to activities previously funded through UNESCO. We believe this is desirable and provides an opportunity to channel U.S. support through proven mechanisms such as ICCROM, ICOMOS and the World Heritage Program. However, we have yet to see agencies implement any concrete activity in the cultural heritage area.

Second, we would note that little attention is currently given to the impact of U.S. aid and economic development activities abroad on the heritage resources of the recipient nation. This is particularly problematic in developing nations. Section 402 of the 1980 NHPA Amendments requires that Federal agencies undertaking actions abroad take into account the effect of those actions on properties entered on the World Heritage List or on a foreign counterpart to our National Register of Historic Places. However, the legislation charged no one with overseeing the implementation of this provision. While we have had fruitful discussions with AID and the World Bank on their responsibilities, we continue to hear allegations of the destruction of cultural resources by U.S. assistance abroad. This is not surprising due to current shortcomings in the law.

This leads to my final point. Current law authorizes U.S. involvement in cultural heritage activities on a piecemeal basis. The Council is entrusted with ICCROM, Interior with the World Heritage and so on. Coordination is mandated among agencies and generally functions well on the specific program activity. However, no single organization is charged with encouraging, advancing and coordinating comprehensive governmental involvement in the broad range of international historic preservation activities. Over the past decade the United States has grown immensely in stature among older cultures with regard to its recognized prowess in preservation techniques and expertise, the unique nature of its cultural resources and the national commitment to preserving our heritage. A clear acknowledgment of the importance of the international dimension of the national historic preservation program by designation of a focal point within the government would affirm our commitment to our friends abroad and pave the way for a more efficient and effective governmental role in the international historic preservation arena.

STATEMENT OF

Dr. N. C. Brady

Senior Assistant Administrator

For Science and Technology

U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

I am pleased to be here today and thank you for the opportunity to discuss the involvement of the Agency for International Development (A.I.D.) with the Department of Interior and the Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) on international activities.

The Agency for International Development (A.I.D.) utilizes the special capabilities of the Department of Interior and the Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture in executing development assistance activities. Our Agency's most significant recent interactions with the Interior Department have involved the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service. The Office of Agriculture and the Office of Forestry, Environment, and Natural Resources (FENR), Bureau for Science and Technology within A.I.D. handle several projects with these Interior Department agencies which service the Agency as a whole.

FENR has been formally involved with National Park Service (since 1979), with Fish and Wildlife Service (since 1984) and with USDA Forest Service (since 1980), in executing

international development assistance activities.

Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)

Our Office of Agriculture has used the technical expertise of

the Denver Wildlife Research Center within the Fish and

Wildlife Service since 1967 to do research, technology transfer and training on methods for vertebrate pest management. Activities have been undertaken in 54 countries with long-term programs in seven. The focus has been on the control of damage to agriculture from bats, birds and rodents.

In response to the International Environmental Protection Act of 1983--making conservation of species and their habitats an important objective of U.S. development assistance--the A.I.D. Administrator, Mr. M. Peter McPherson, set up an Interagency Task Force on Biological Diversity, which I chair, to prepare a report entitled "U.S. Strategy on the Conservation of Biological Diversity." The report was submitted to Congress on February 20, 1985. The Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish, Wildlife and Parks was a member of this task force, and several other Interior staff served on the interagency working group which assisted in preparing the report. FENR developed an agreement with FWS for technical assistance in the area of biological diversity. An advisor from FWS has been assigned to FENR. To date, we have developed an Action Plan for A.I.D. which outlines our response to the recommendations of the Task Force report. We have reactivated our internal Advisory Group on Biological Diversity to review this plan and provide further recommendations on incorporating biological diversity conservation into our development assistance projects and programs. In addition, we have renewed the Interagency Task Force technical working group, in which Interior participates,

to discuss their activities on biological diversity and identify possible points of collaboration.

Our Asia/Near East Bureau has entered into an agreement with the Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of International Affairs, to develop a strategy on biological diversity conservation in the Near East, and a small grants program for conservation activities in that area.

National Park Service (NPS)

An agreement was signed with National Park Service (NPS) in 1979 under which the Park Service has provided A.I.D. and less developed countries (LDCs) with scientific and technical information on environment and natural resources management. Work undertaken has provided A.I.D. and developing countries with renewable natural resources planning information in the form of review papers, case studies, and design aids followed up by workshop/training sessions. In addition, through separate arrangements with A.I.D.'s Bureau for Africa, NPS is also providing expertise for African natural resource

management assistance programs.

The extensive internal capabilities of the Park Service working together with other agencies of the Interior Department, and its contacts with other scientific and professional, domestic and international organizations have greatly helped A.I.D. to