(Reuters) "We have a very high chance of winning the bid," said Valentin Balakhnichyov, the president of the Russian athletics federation (VFLA).
"Moscow has many, many positives and very few negatives to offer to all the athletes, officials and its guests."
Balakhnichyov said that the government's guarantee of financing the event and Moscow's infrastructure was one of the city's "positives".
He added: "Moscow offers excellent facilities, hotels and has a five-star Luzhniki Olympic stadium which is already one of the best in the world.
"But for the 2005 championships we're planning to put a brand new track in Luzhniki and also rebuild the training facility adjacent to the stadium."
Balakhnichyov struggled to name at least one negative aspect of the Russian capital.
"It's hard for me to say right now," he said. "It could mean that we just don't have any at the moment."
The 84,000-capacity Luzhniki stadium, built in 1956, was used for the athletics at the 1980 Olympics.
The 1998 Grand Prix finals was the last major international athletics competition it hosted.
Moscow, however, should expect a tough battle with seven other European cities bidding to succeed original hosts London, who withdrew after the British government shelved plans to build a stadium for the event.
Rome, Berlin, Brussels, Budapest, Helsinki, Munich and Stuttgart are the other contenders.
The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the sport's governing body, will announce its decision at a council meeting on April 14 in Nairobi.
