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At a meeting with International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge and members of the IOC, President Vladimir Putin reiterated that he sees the Olympics as a good opportunity for developing southern Russia and to address infrastructure and environmental issues.

Focusing on the question of the environment, Vladimir Putin pointed out Sochi’s lack of communal and energy infrastructure. This will have to be created in preparation for the Olympics.

The President of Russia introduced Jacques Rogge to the Russian officials responsible for preparing for the Olympics, and briefed him on the structure of the government agencies in question. The President noted that, in order to help build the Olympic facilities and guarantee transparency in decision-making, representatives of the Russian and the international environmental organizations will be asked to provide their extensive professional expertise.

This is the first meeting between the IOC President, IOC members and their Russian counterparts. They will be working together in preparation for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi. The city was chosen to be the site of the Olympics at the 119th session of the IOC that took place in Guatemala in July 2007. From now on the two sides will meet on a regular basis.