BlackBerry chief sees vast horizons in UAE market

DUBAI: The co-CEO of the company that makes the BlackBerry is predicting vast high-tech opportunities in the United Arab Emirates after a brush with regulators seeking to ban some key features of the smart phone.

Jim Balsillie offered no details of the deal this month with Research in Motion Ltd. to keep e-mail and other BlackBerry services in the Emirates.

The Gulf country had expressed security concerns because of the BlackBerry's encryption protections.

Balsillie took no questions from reporters after his keynote address on Monday at a major consumer electronic show in Dubai.

He says he is ``sincerely and genuinely excited'' about growth potential in the UAE market.

Canada-based RIM also has faced questions from telecoms regulators in Saudi Arabia and India.