Baku, March 13 (AZERTAC). IOC President Jacques Rogge is optimistic that Saudi Arabia will send female athletes to the Olympics for the first time at this summer`s London Games, helping achieve the Olympic body`s target of having women represented on every national team.

In an interview Monday with The Associated Press, Rogge said the International Olympic Committee was in advanced talks with the Saudis to include female competitors.

"We are still discussing with them on the practicalities, but we are optimistic that this is going to happen," Rogge said. "It depends on the possibilities of qualifications, standards of different athletes. We`re still discussing the various options."

Saudi Arabia may not have women who meet Olympic qualifying standards, meaning the IOC and international sports federations would have to offer special invitations or find other solutions.

Saudi Arabia was one of only three countries without any female athletes at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The others, Qatar and Brunei, also have never sent women to compete at the games.

Qatar announced last month that it will use IOC wild card invitations to send at least two women - a swimmer and sprinter - to the London Games. Two others could also be added to the list.

Brunei is also expected to include women this time, according to the IOC.

Equestrian Dalma Rushdi Malhas won a bronze medal for Saudi Arabia in show jumping at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. Human Rights Watch said Malhas may be invited to participate in London by an international sports federation.

In the event of any breakup of Syria, the IOC could offer athletes the chance to compete under the Olympic flag, as was the case in the past for athletes from the former Yugoslavia and East Timor.

"There is no issue speaking as of today on the sovereignty of Syria," Rogge said. "If the need would arise, we would definitely find solutions to allow the athletes to participate, but today they would participate under the Syrian flag."

The IOC leader also played down a warning from a British watchdog committee last week that rising security costs could threaten London`s 9.3 billion pound ($14.6 billion) budget.

"We have been reassured by (Sports) Minister Hugh Robertson, but also by the organizing committee, that the original budget of 9.3 billion pounds still is valid and we have also heard there might be a profit coming out of the games," Rogge said. "We are comforted by that."