Iran keen to share Andhra's expertise in IT

Tuesday, 28 January 2003, 20:30 IST
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HYDERABAD: Iranian President Mohammad Khatami said Tuesday his country was keen to share Andhra Pradesh's expertise in IT and biotechnology. After a half-hour-long meeting with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, he told reporters Iran hoped to benefit from the state's experience and expertise in the two fields. Khatami, who visited Hyderabad Information Technology and Engineering Consultancy (HITEC) City and the Centre for Cellular Molecular Biology, the premier research institute for biotechnology, said Iranian companies and professionals and they could benefit from Andhra Pradesh's rich experience. Khatami is here on the last leg of his India visit. He said the visit would strengthen ties between the peoples of the two countries. "Hyderabad will have a substantial role to play in strengthening the bilateral relations especially the cooperation in technology," he maintained. The Iranian President was all praise for Andhra Pradesh for achieving rapid progress in technology. "Hyderabad is rapidly developing in new areas of technology and this will go a long way in improving the quality of life of the citizens of Hyderabad and Andhra Pradesh," he said. He said both Hyderabad and India were technologically more developed than Iran. He said he was happy to visit Hyderabad as it had long and historic relations with Iran. "Hyderabad is a good Indian city with a good cultural foundation," he said. Khatami also visited e-seva centre, where the government is offering a host of citizen services under one roof. He later attended a lunch hosted by Governor Surjit Singh Barnala.
Source: IANS