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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr President, let me wish you welcome to Sochi once again. This is not your first visit. You have already had the chance to see how preparations for the Olympic Games are going.
Nearly all of the facilities are ready and we just have to put in the final effort now, cross the last line and finish all the last touches. Of course, our cooperation with the Olympic Committee is very important in this respect, and so your visit today and your inspection of the state of progress matter a lot to us, as do your assessments.
President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach (translated from Russian): Mr President, first of all, I want to thank you for the genuine hospitality we have received in Sochi and in Russia. It is always a pleasure to come here. Today, we are already looking forward to the Olympic Games here in Sochi next February.
We have complete confidence that the Games’ organisation will be of the highest level. We are very grateful to you for the excellent cooperation that has developed between us.
Sochi and the entire region have come a long way in their development over these last years, and successfully too. This makes a deep impression on us. The Olympic sites will contribute to making the Sochi Olympics unique in the Olympic movement’s history, and the facilities will offer all sportspeople the best possible conditions.
We know from experience that the last three-four months before the opening of the Games are probably the busiest of all. Of course, we are already looking forward to completing our work together so to celebrate a successful Olympic Games in February.
Once again, thank you very much for this preparation work, and thank you very much for the warm welcome.
Vladimir Putin: It seems to me that you liked the railway station too?
Thomas Bach: I more than liked it, not just for its functionality, but for its architecture too. It impresses me very much that you were able to build this railway station in just four years.
Aside from the architecture and the unique solutions to link the old and new stations, I was also impressed by the way the facilities have been designed to allow people with disabilities to use them. I learned today, for example, that a special path has been laid in the terminal for the visually impaired. I think this is an optimistic sign for the future, a sign that shows how architecture and construction are developing in general in Russia.
Of course, this new station will be used after the Olympics too, and will become part of the Olympic heritage not just for Sochi but for the whole country.
Vladimir Putin: Yes, I wanted to say the very same words – it will be an important part of the Olympics’ legacy.
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