THE DIRECTOR OF HERMITAGE A CONDEMNS THE DESTRUCTION OF THE STATUES OF
BUDDHA BY THE TALIBAN








MOSCOW, March 5.  (Corr. Ria " Novosti " Nikolai Valkovski).  Mikhail
Piotrovski, director of the Hermitage, largest musee of Russia, A
severly condemns the actions of the taliban which detruisent in
Afghanistan the monuments of the anteislamic culture.

" the destruction of the sculptures of Buddha in Afghanistan is the
most negative demonstration of religious fanaticism ", A declares
Mikhail Piotrovski in an interview has RIA " Novosti ".

It has all particularly stresses that it was about the destruction of
monuments of the very old religion, which can have " imprevisibles
consequences " for the humanite all entiere.