The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Friday cast a vote of confidence in Beijing's Olympic venue construction work.

"Overall, we can say that we've been extremely pleased with the progress that BOCOG has been making," Hein Verbruggen, president of the IOC's Coordination Commission for the 2008 Olympics, told a press conference in the Chinese capital.

The 16-member IOC's Coordination Commission headed by Verbruggen on Friday concluded a three-day meeting with the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Games (BOCOG).

They held in-depth talks with BOCOG's various departments, reviewing the progress of the city's preparations for the 2008 Games in the fields like sport, marketing and ticketing, finance and logistics, Olympic Village and services to National Olympic Committees.

Keeping the principle of frugality in mind, Beijing halted the construction work on several Olympic venues in August amid a nationwide drive to cut down on "white elephant" projects. It was part of the central government's efforts to prevent the economy from overheating.

Verbruggen said it was an "excellent idea" to make savings in venues.

"That is completely in line with what we want, too," he said.

Since the Sydney Games in 2000, the IOC has been trying to cut down on the costs of hosting an Olympic Games so that more small countries like Greece could afford it.

Verbruggen said the IOC was not worried about the timing of venue construction.

"It was the IOC who had said you can do it a little bit slower because you have a very long period between the time the venues are ended and the Games," said Verbruggen.

"For us, the major issue is that the venues are ready that they host test events. Most of the test events are in 2007.

"We have come to a full agreement with BOCOG that the construction has slowed a little bit but everything will be ready when various test events take place."

Beijing, which plans to spend tens of billions dollars on the 2008 Games, is also mulling to adjust the locality of five venues planned for the Games.

"Concerned are softball, baseball, hockey, beach volleyball, tennis," said Gilbert Felli, IOC's Olympic Games Executive Director.

According to Felli, BOCOG wants to move the venues for above five sports, except tennis, closer to the Olympic Green.

BOCOG vice president Jiang Xiaoyu said BOCOG is consulting with concerned International Federations for approval of the change.

"Of course, we need to get the nods from the IOC and the concerned International Federations," he said.

"Within two months from now, we will have certainty on where every sport will take place."

IOC President Jacques Rogge will visit Beijing over the weekend for talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao and BOCOG officials.

Also taking place in the Chinese capital will be the official transfer of knowledge meeting between Athens organizers and their Beijing counterparts.

Source: Xinhua