The UNESCO on Thursday denied reports that Dambulla is facing the risk of being removed as a World Heritage Site, claiming that the UNESCO Secretary General Irina Bokova's statement to the media has been misinterpreted.

It was suggested in media, including AFP, that Dambulla is facing the possible loss of status as a World Heritage Site.

The UNESCO acknowledged that there were issues concerning the maintenance of Dambulla but added that it is in dialogue with the Sri Lankan government regarding the situation.

“In the press conference, the Director-General made reference to a Reactive Monitoring Mission dispatched by ICOMOS, our Advisory Body for cultural properties, in March 2015 to assess this question. As a result, a number of recommendations were put forth in order to improve the conservation and management of the site,” UNESCO said.