TABRIZ, E. Azarbaijan Prov. Managing Director of the provincial department of telecommunications company in East Azarbaijan Yusef Faramarzi said on Monday that 55 telecommunications projects have become operational in East Azarbaijan simultaneous with President Mohammad Khatami's visit to the province. He said that with the operation of the projects telephone capacity of the province has increased by 60,000 new lines, bringing the total capacity to over 550,000. Faramarzi said that 18 urban and rural telecommunications centers have been established and equipped in various parts of the province.

In the continuation of his tour of East Azarbaijan province, president Khatami inspected architecture, urban development and arts college of Sahand Technical University in the provincial capital city Tabriz, Monday morning. In an informal meeting with the students, the president urged them to upgrade their knowledge as much as possible. Chancellor Mohammad Ali Keynezhad briefed the president on academic programs as well as on the activities of various sections of the college.

Rls 2.5 billion has been spent on the purchase and rehabilitation of establishments allocated to the architecture and arts college. Four historical buildings of the architecture college belong to the contemporary Qajar dynasty. Sahand technical university was founded in 1989 and started its academic activities the following year. At present 1,500 students are enrolled at the university. (IRNA)