News digest

14 SEISMIC STATIONS TO BE BUILT IN AZERBAIJAN

14 seismic stations will be constructed in various regions of Azerbaijan before September of 2002, the National Seismic Center said Thursday. Winning the tender for the delivery and installation of seismic equipment was US Kinematics.

Two of the seismic stations will be built on Absheron Peninsula, but their exact locations are still to be defined. Kinematics is expected to embrace upon the state budget funded project costing $1.6 million in May this year.

UKRAINIAN DEFENSE MINISTER EXPECTED IN BAKU

Azeri defense minister Safar Abiyev has invited his Ukrainian counterpart Vladimir Shkichenko to pay an official visit to Baku. The invitation has been accepted, and the visit is now being prepared, the Ukrainian embassy in Baku said Thursday.

The parties are expected to mull possibilities of military and technical cooperation between the two countries.

NATIONAL FILM WEEK

A national film week will be held in Baku before the Novruz Bayram, a source from the cinema department of the Baku Mayoral Office reported Wednesday. Most cinema houses will show old and new Azeri films and hold meetings with filmmakers.

The week will be opened with "Confidence phone" on woman violence ordered by the UN Office in Baku and directed by Rustam Ibrahimbayov.

SHIRVANSHAH's RESIDENCE IN HISTORIC COMPLEX TO BE RESTORED

Italian Impressapushen has signed a contract with the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan to launch reconstruction of the Shah's residence in the Shirvanshahs' Palace museum complex in March. A fifth of the work is to be performed by local companies, the contract stipulates.

A total of $1,660,000 is needed for the revival. 80% of the funds has been allotted by the World Bank and the rest by the Azerbaijan government. Most of the cash will be spent on communication work.

A tender will be announced in April for reconstruction of another section of the Palace, a trial room, the Ministry reported Friday. The reconstruction project of the Palace drawn by the late Academician Niyazi Rzayev was suspended due to the lack of funds in 1998.