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Syria interested in Russia’s assistance in IT sector — minister

Syria is interested in Russia’s assistance and experience in the sector of information technologies, Syria’s minister of telecommunications and technology says

MOSCOW, December 9. /TASS/. Syria is interested in Russia’s assistance and experience in the sector of information technologies, Syria’s Minister of Telecommunications and Technology Ali al-Zafir said in an interview with TASS.

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"We would hail Russia’s assistance in the information technologies sector," he said. "Even before the crisis, this sector only began to develop in our country, so this segment was severely hurt in combat operation. We will have to revive it and the Russian side has promised its assistance. We will use this experience with no fail."

"As for the telecommunications sector, I can say that now it is in a satisfactory state," the minister noted. "But we need help in the IT sector: along with plans to create an electronic government, we need to create an infrastructure for the development of information technologies."

"We also want to use Russia’s experience in converting analog television broadcast to digital," al-Zafir said. "Digital television in your country covers up to 98% of your territory. Such successful experience might be useful for us. Apart from that, we are interested in advance training of our specialists working in the information technologies sector. Russian experts may come to Syria to train our specialists while Syrian professionals will have specialized training at Russian educational establishments."

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