The decision was taken at the 34th annual meeting of the committee in Brazil.

UNESCO’s meeting discussed problems and progress in Istanbul’s 4 historical sites registered in world heritage list, as Turkish delegation made a presentation on the issue.

The committee took into account the culture and tourism ministry’s and Istanbul metropolitan municipality’s recent works and efforts. The meeting unanimously rejected to strike off Istanbul from the world heritage list and add ıt into the endangered world heritage list.

Yet, the committee urged Turkey to conclude some works currently under construction.

The most prominent of these is that Turkey will hold an impact assessment of metro bridge construction over the Golden Horn to detect whether this would harm the scenery of the historical peninsula, including Süleymaniye Mosque.

UNESCO described Süleymaniye Mosque as "a masterpiece of human mastermind and the chief of the Ottoman structures".

9 touristic sites in Turkey are included in the list, of which Istanbul is a part since 1985.

The committee will make its final decision on 3 August and Istanbul will be reviewed again at committee’s Bahrain meeting in 2011.