(ATR) Here is a press release from Sochi 2014 CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko responding to a letter to President Vladimir Putin sent by WWF Russia.

In response to the open letter to President Vladimir Putin by WWF Russia

In response to the open letter to President Vladimir Putin by WWF Russia, Dmitry Chernyshenko, the Sochi 2014 Bid CEO, said: "Preservation and enhancement of the environment have always been an important objective for the Sochi 2014 bid. To this end, we continue an ongoing dialogue with ecology groups and experts to ensure that all environmental concerns in Sochi are comprehensively addressed."

As part of this dialogue, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov recently met in Paris with UNESCO Director General Koichiro Matsuura, who gave high marks to Russian Government's plans for the development of the Sochi region from the perspective of environmental preservation. Specifically, he praised the Government's efforts to preserve the national parks and the biodiversity of the Sochi region.

In addition, Mr. Zhukov and other members of the Russian Government are meeting today with representatives of environmental groups, NGOs and environmental experts in an effort to incorporate further suggestions into the plan for the development of the Sochi region.

I would like to emphasize that the Sochi 2014 Bid Committee, in partnership with the Russian Government, is strongly committed to the preservation of Sochi's environment. This commitment is demonstrated by the US $100 million investment in Sochi's environment that is being made as part of the Russian Government''s Federal Target Program for the development of the Sochi region.

The initiatives covered by this investment include:

• Continuous monitoring of all infrastructure projects including sports venues, during construction and after they are put in service;
• Development of a programme of integrated environmental monitoring (including air and water quality, etc.) for the Sochi National Park and adjacent areas;
• Establishment of a complex of facilities in Krasnaya Polyana, Grushevaya Polyana, Roza Khutor, and Psekhako for solid waste management;
• Implementation of landslide-control, environmental conservation and forest-management activities in Roza Khutor and Grushevaya Polyana;
• Upgrading of sewage collection and treatment works.

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