FIDE President Visits Georgia over Disputed Chess Tournament

President of the World Chess Federation Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, who is also the President of Russia’s Autonomous Republic of Kalmykia, arrived in Tbilisi today to hold talks with the Georgia leadership over disputed Women’s World Chess Championship in Adjarian Autonomy’s capital Batumi.
 
The issue of the forthcoming Women’s World Chess Championship is to be discussed during the talks.
 
The championship is scheduled to be held in Adjarian capital Batumi for May 21-June 8. However, Georgia’s central authorities are against, since the Georgia’s government cannot ensure security of the participants due to presence of illegal armed groups in the region.
 
The agreement on organizing the tournament in Adjara was signed on April 15 by Adjarian leader Aslan Abashidze and Kirsan Ilyumzhinov.