Transcript of the beginning of the meeting: 

Vladimir Putin: What can you tell me about the preparations for the Olympics?

Dmitry Kozak: To use a phrase, everything is proceeding according to plan and according to approved schedules. Specifically I am referring to the allocation of land for the facilities and the design, construction, and installation of the venues. Today, we are building 17 facilities...

Vladimir Putin: What has been done since our last meeting in Sochi with all departments, organisations, and companies concerned?

Dmitry Kozak: The federal executive authorities have fulfilled the instructions they received at the session of the Presidium of the Council for Physical Fitness and Sports. I am talking primarily about streamlining the management of the project, and coordinating the work of the different bodies of power and participants in the project. The situation is much improved in this respect.

I would like to repeat that we and the corporation which is obliged to monitor and coordinate the construction of all Olympic facilities, regardless of whether they belong to government bodies, the corporation itself or to private investors, have concluded agreements on data exchange with all those involved. Today, we are compiling a lot of documents, receive a lot of information and completing the project monitoring computer database. Recently, I conducted a conference on this subject. Starting December 1, the government will have a website which will update current progress on labour, resources, and funding.

In addition to this, by December 29 we will complete a schedule for cargo delivery. Considering that the massive construction of Olympic facilities will start in the first quarter, we need to start bringing in construction materials in accordance with technical design specifications.

Vladimir Putin: You mentioned money. How is the funding going?

Dmitry Kozak: So far we are using budget funds to finance the Olympic facilities. All projects have received due funding. We are also aware that there is constant market fluctuation in construction materials cost. Literally a week ago, we agreed with all major participants, primarily the federal executive bodies, that new proposals should be made on funding Olympic installations, taking into account the considerable reduction in the prices of construction materials. The law will be amended to allow a flexible cost structure.

Vladimir Putin: You mentioned freight delivery. Have you decided what sites will receive it?

Dmitry Kozak: We already have sites to accommodate nine million tons of cargo. Thanks to a good performance by Russian Railways, we will complete an additional freight terminal with a capacity of five million tons. The second freight terminal will open in 2009. To sum up, we have a site capacity of nine million tons of cargo. This problem has been resolved.

We will have an additional freight terminal capable of handling five million tons by November 29. The Krasnodar Territory and the Transportation Ministry are working on this. They are supposed to endorse a list of sites for the additional capacity, and have received the relevant instructions.

On November 29, one of the first transportation projects will be commissioned in Sochi. This one is crucial for the development of the alpine and climatic resort. I'm referring to the Dzhubga-Sochi bypass road around Sochi. The first leg will open November 29, and it will resolve 50% of the problem of delivering cargo to Sochi. This is important. Next year, this road to Sochi will be complete. The residents of Sochi are extremely concerned that the delivery of construction materials be handled outside the city.

Vladimir Putin: Have you completed the assessment of land?

Dmitry Kozak: We did much of it in August-September.

Vladimir Putin: But not all of it...

Dmitry Kozak: No, not all of it. At this point we have completed the allotment of all government-owned lands, and these allotments have been granted. As for private parcels, which are primarily located in the Imereti Valley, 152 out of 274 plots have been assessed.

Now, in accordance with the established procedure, the appraiser's assessment reports are being verified by Rosimuschestvo (Federal Agency for State Property Management) and outside, independent appraisers. After the verification, we will rule on the reports authenticity, and reimburse the owners accordingly.

Vladimir Putin: When will this process be finished?

Dmitry Kozak: I think in the first quarter of the next year.

Vladimir Putin: Good.