According to reports in the MDR German press, French President Jacques Chirac has confirmed Paris’ intention to bid for the 2012 Olympic Games alongside recently nominated Leipzig Germany, New York and Madrid. Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder told the German press that the announcement came at the St. Petersburg Summit where leaders from Russia, France and Germany met to discuss issues in Iraq.
At the meeting Russian leader Valdimir Putin was reluctant to confirm a Moscow bid for the same 2012 Games, according to the report.
The French bid has been widely anticipated since Paris came third behind Beijing and Toronto in a 2008 bid. An announcement is expected from Britain Tuesday regarding London’s intention to bid.
