Baku pledges to ensure the security of Armenian athletes at World Chess Cup

Azerbaijan will ensure the security of Armenian participants during the World Chess Cup 2015 and the World Chess Olympiad 2016, Azerbaijani Youth and Sports Minister Azad Rahimov said at the signing ceremony of the contract on Azerbaijan’s hosting these events, Trend reports.

The contract was signed in Baku on Wednesday, Nov 28 by the president of the World Chess Federation (FIDE), Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, head of Azerbaijani Chess Federation Elman Rustamov and the Minister of Youth and Sports Azad Rahimov.

“We are ready to host chess players from Armenia, with all security issues to be addressed at the appropriate level. This is not the first time Azerbaijan is hosting Armenian players,” Rahimov said.

According to Ilyumzhinov, Yerevan will host FIDE presidential council on January 18-20, 2013, which will focus on the safety, accommodation and participation of Armenian players at the events.

Commenting on FIDE proposals on holding a children’s chess tournament with participation of young Azerbaijani and Armenian chess players in Nagorno Karabakh, Rahimov said that Baku could support the initiative if security of all Azerbaijani guests is ensured.

The decision to hold the contests in Baku was made in September at Istanbul-hosted General Assembly of the World Chess Federation. Albena (Bulgaria) and Tallinn (Estonia) also made a bid for hosting the event.