Jordan Times
Wednesday, September 22, 2004
Fayez stresses
importance of maintaining national archives
AMMAN (Petra) — Prime Minister Faisal Fayez on Tuesday stressed the importance
of maintaining and indexing the national archives, which encompass the details
of the country's political, social and cultural life.
The premier made the remarks during a visit to the National Library Department
as a follow-up to a recent visit by His Majesty King Abdullah. The Monarch had
issued directives to construct a new headquarters to replace the current one,
which does not meet the department's requirements for maintaining books and
documents.
Fayez, who was accompanied by Minister of State and Government Spokesperson Asma
Khader, was acquainted with the steps taken by the department to provide an
appropriate environment to save the national heritage.
Mamoun Talhouni, the department's director general, briefed the premier on the
technical specifications of the new building that the Ministry of Public Works
and Housing designed and had floated the tender for.
Talhouni said the project would be constructed in front of the Interior Ministry
and would enable the department to carry out its tasks using the latest
technology.
Talhouni explained that the department's work covers the national library,
national archives and authors' copyright law, where the department collects and
indexes intellectual property rights of citizens here and abroad, in addition to
foreigners residing in the Kingdom. He added that the national archive is also
responsible for collecting documents of historical and political value.