Transcript of the beginning of their conversation:

Vladimir Putin: What are you here, Mr Mutko-a minister or president of the Russian Football Union?

Vitaly Mutko: Both, because football is part of our sports.

Vladimir Putin: What shall we start with?

Vitaly Mutko: First of all, I would like to tell you, Mr Putin, that my ministry has been formed. We made it a point to work calmly and smoothly on our managerial structure. What matters most for today is the development of fitness and sports.

We have thoroughly analysed the instructions the State Council gave us at a meeting you chaired in 2002. Now, proceeding from what you told us after the meeting, we are advancing a new programme of football progress and the developmental strategy of Russian sports.

We are to prepare the theme for the State Council to discuss in September. We have taken stock of what was done and are ready with a report on the development of physical culture.

There is another matter, of no smaller importance. Our hockey and other sports have made breakthroughs of late. We are preparing for the Beijing Olympics, and we think the Russian delegation will be among the largest-500 athletes representing 28 sports. We are sparing no efforts to make a good show at this final stage of preparation.

On the whole, physical culture and sport are dynamically developing. We are implementing the Programme for the Development of Fitness and Sports, and commissioning ever-new sports facilities. I naturally have proposals for further progress.

Vladimir Putin: You mentioned 2002. That was really the year when we started paying permanent attention to sports and fitness, and their funding-or was it a bit earlier? Now, this attention is bringing fruit in the sport of records.

At the same time, the development of children's and youth fitness and sports is our main duty for today. We have determined to fully reinstate and modernise children's and youth sport schools. This is one of the essential fields of work.

The Beijing Olympics and, later, preparations for the Sochi Olympics are ambitious tasks in themselves-but, as I have often said, they also give the chance to pay greater attention to the nation's health and to the promotion of healthy living.

All these are among the key elements of our demographic programme. Under your leadership, the ministry must do everything to implement those plans.