ZANJAN On his first day of his visit to Zanjan Tuesday, President Mohammad Khatami inaugurated the city's airport. President Khatami unveiled a memorial board and inspected a model of various sections of the airport. The Roads and Transportation Minister, Mahmoud Hojjati, who is accompanying the president in his visit, said at the inaugural ceremony that 99 airports are to be constructed across the country and at present 60 airports are active.

The Zanjan Airport is 15 kms northwest of Zanjan on a 660 hectare plot of land. Its runaway is three kms long and 45 meters wide. About Rls.30 billion has been spent on construction of the airport, whose executive operations started in 1990. The airport is capable of hosting Fokker-100, Boeing 727 and TU-154 planes. The terminal of the airport occupies a 2,470 sq meter plot of land and its control tower 455 sq meters.

President Khatami told reporters upon his arrival in Zanjan that he is visiting the province to meet people and officials (of the provincial cities of Zanjan, Mahneshan, Abhar, Khodabandeh, Khorramdarreh and Ijrud) and to get first hand information about the province. During president's stay in the province 167 projects, including some concerning sports, health care center in Zanjan, Amir al-Mo'menin' Hospital in provincial city of Khodabandeh, a dormitory in Zanjan and a zinc ingot production plant, which have been constructed at a total cost of Rls.462 billion plus $14.5 million are to become operational.

The president is also to inspect Iran-Transfo Company and executive operations for Taham dam. President Khatami is to leave the province for Tabriz (East Azarbaijan Province) on Thursday, where he is to inaugurate a giant irrigational project, which is to supply water to Tabriz as well as the provincial cities of Bonab and Azarshahr as well as Zanjan. (IRNA)