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MINSK, 18 May (BelTA) – Belarus and Iran intend to implement several high-technology mutually beneficial scientific and technical projects together. Prospects of setting up a Belarusian-Iranian venture fund will be discussed as well. These matters were discussed during the meeting of Chairman of the State Science and Technology Committee of Belarus Alexander Shumilin and Deputy President of the Center for Innovation and Technology Cooperation under the Iran President Administration Mahdi Hajebrahimi on 18 May, the Committee’s press service told BelTA.

Alexander Shumilin said that Belarusian R&D and innovative products are well-known far abroad and enjoy solid demand just like the scientific and technical equipment Belarus makes. The equipment offers a good value for money in comparison with the market leaders. “This is why we could discuss several avenues of bilateral cooperation and implement two or three joint mutually beneficial projects in the sphere of medicine and pharmaceutics, instrument making or security systems,” the official said during the meeting.

Alexander Shumilin also made it clear he was ready to also discuss the establishment of a venture financing system with the Iranian side. The establishment of a Belarusian-Russian venture fund is in progress. The possibility of establishing a similar fund together with China is under consideration. “If Iran is willing to take part in such projects, we are ready to consider the possibility,” noted the Chairman of the State Science and Technology Committee of Belarus.

These and other matters are supposed to be discussed during the session of the Belarusian-Iranian commission on cooperation in higher education, science and technologies in Minsk on 13-15 July 2016.