Russia pledged Wednesday to support all sites which are applying to be included on the world heritage list and meanwhile called for increased international cooperation in the protection of world heritage sites.

Russia has many experts with rich experience in relics preservation and is willing to cooperate with other nations in preventing more world heritage sites from being endangered, said Igor Makovetsky, chairman of the Russian world heritage committee.

Makovetsky led a Russian delegation to attend the ongoing 28th Conference of World Heritage Committee in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province.

To date, in 129 countries there are 754 world heritage sites, 35 of which are in danger of various threats.

Russia is now home to 19 world heritage sites, including 12 cultural sites and seven natural sites.

At the conference held from June 28 to July 7 in Suzhou, Russia will apply for including its Novodevichy Monastery on the world heritage list.
 
(Xinhua News Agency July 1, 2004)