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FIDE President's visits to Lebanon and the Central African Republic |
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Monday, 22 March 2010 14:51 |
On March 20th, the Head of Republic of Kalmykia, FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov had a working visit to Lebanon, in Beirut he held meetings with the representatives of business circles of this country. The main subject of the meetings was the cooperation between the Republic of Kalmykia and Lebanese enterprises and companies in the framework of the Russo-Lebanese relations. During the visit Kirsan Ilyumzhinov also met with the leadership of the Lebanese Chess Federation to discuss the implementation of FIDE program "Chess in Schools" in Lebanon.
On March 21st, the President arrived on an official visit to the Central African Republic (CAR). In the country's capital Bangui Kirsan Ilyumzhinov had negotiations with the President of the Central African Republic Francois Bozize. The issues of economic and cultural cooperation between the Kalmykia and the prefectures, enterprises and companies of the CAR in the framework of relations between Russia and the Central African Republic were discussed during the negotiations. It was noted at the meeting that the visit of the Head of Republic of Kalmykia - the first visit by a statesman of Russia to the Central African Republic since 1980. The President Francois Bozize has expressed interest and willingness to develop mutually beneficial cooperation in various sectors of the economy and culture. In order to get acquainted with economy of Kalmykia and its culture, to explore prospects for cooperation Francois Bozize intends to send an official delegation of the CAR to the Republic of Kalmykia.
Another important aspect of the negotiations was the development of relations between the Central African Republic and the International Chess Federation. FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov and Francois Bozize, who recently led a national chess federation of the Central African Republic, signed an agreement on joining the Chess Federation of CAR to the International Chess Federation. After the agreement signing ceremony at the press conference, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov said that the Chess Federation of CAR is a 170th member of FIDE, and stressed the importance of this event for the development of chess on the African continent. Francois Bozize highlighted the impotence of chess development in the country and and above all in the upbringing of the younger generation. He expressed his intention to implement FIDE program "Chess in Schools" in the country. He welcomes the experience of Kalmykia, where chess introduced as a compulsory subject in the general education program. Francois Bozize supports FIDE program “Chess in Schools”, which according to him no less (if not more) than humanitarian assistance of the Western countries will contribute to the progressive development of the African continent. In order to study the experience of Kalmykia on this matter the Minister of Education of CAR will visit the Republic of Kalmykia within the delegation's visit to the CAR. Furthermore Francois Bozize accepted an invitation from FIDE President to attend the Opening Ceremony of the World Chess Olympiad to be held this autumn in Khanty-Mansiysk. An Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia in the CAR Alexander Kasparov took part in the negotiations between the Head of Republic of Kalmykia, FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov and the President of the Central African Republic Francois Bozize.
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