President Ilham Aliyev has received the President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), Kirsan Ilyumzhinov.

The President of the International Chess Federation, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, was pleased to recall his first visit to Azerbaijan in 1993 and a meeting with nationwide leader Heydar Aliyev. He said he was witnessing the country’s rapid development over the years. Pointing to successful cooperation between the International Chess Federation and relevant agencies of our country, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov noted the importance of the fact that Azerbaijan was the first out of 177 member-states of the organization he is leading to have adopted and successfully implemented a special state program on the development of chess. Kirsan Ilyumzhinov informed the President of the proposal of the International Chess Federation to hold the World Chess Olympiad in Baku in 2016.

Indicating that the results achieved by Azerbaijani chess players in various international competitions were reassuring, President Aliyev said that our country was taking consistent steps to develop all sports, including chess. The President hailed the proposal to conduct the 2016 World Chess Olympiad in Baku and expressed his confidence that the cooperation between FIDE and relevant Azerbaijani agencies would further expand.