Peskov as chairman of Russian Chess Federation's Board of Trustees to go to U.S. for World Chess Championship opening ceremony on Wednesday
MOSCOW. Nov 9 (Interfax) - Dmitry Peskov, deputy head of the Russian presidential administration and press secretary to the Russian president, will go to the U.S. on Wednesday, where he intends to attend the beginning of the World Chess Championship Match for men as chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Russian Chess Federation.
He said in an interview with Interfax that he does not plan meetings with American officials during his two-day visit to New York and the purpose of his visit is to support the Russian chess player in this serious competition.
Norwegian Magnus Carlsen and Russian Sergei Karyakin will fight for the title of world chess champion in a match conducted in New York on November 11-30.
"It will be an act of support. It will be a unique game, in which Russia is represented by the youngest grand master in the world and he will have a very serious and talented opponent. No doubt, it is very important for us to support our Sergei Karyakin," Peskov said.
Peskov did not rule out that he will have several "absolutely unofficial meetings in the Valdai Club line" during this visit, but no contacts with representatives of the American administration are expected.
"In this situation, we did not seek any contacts, they are not planned. Especially because the U.S. political establishment now probably has no time for any contacts, they are now going through very busy times and they need to be left alone with these times," Peskov said.
Commenting on the statement by FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, who has sent Donald Trump an invitation to make the first move in the World Chess Championship match, Peskov said that "in an overwhelming majority of countries, the heads of state and government emphasize attention given to such matches and attend opening ceremonies."
"I don't know what will happen in New York, but it's a tradition in an overwhelming majority of countries when heads of state and government or high-ranking representatives attend the first move ceremony," he said, adding that the World Chess Championship match "is a traditionally important global event, a special event."
Responding to a question as to whether there is some verbal or written message from the Russian president in case he gets to talk to Trump during the chess ceremony, Peskov said: "No, there are no written [messages], the president has voiced his messages more than once, his position is consistent: we want our relations to be taken out of the freeze they are now in, we want each other's viewpoints to be taken into account and we want all problems to be resolved through dialogue."
Responding to a question as to whether he will bring any welcoming address to the match participants from the Russian president, Peskov answered in the negative, adding that in this situation his very presence is "demonstration of our support. "And then we will see how the match will develop," he said.