And there is something that’s very important -- his message to Western countries. In 2003, Libya decided to freeze and curtail all programmes of development and production of chemical, bacteriological and atomic weapons and to curtail missile production. Talking about this, Gaddafi added that the money saved was used to build the "River of Life" and the railway, the tender for which Russia won.Then Gaddafi said: "I suspended every programme. And now they are bombing me! What example does NATO show to countries like North Korea, Iran and others? Do those only who have weaponry have power? I was forced to end all military programmes but they continued the arms race! And now they are bombing Libya! Is this the fate of small and weak countries?"
I remember that he always had a chess board set up in his office, and since Muammar Gaddafi and I had already met many times, I always suggested that we play chess and he went to fetch the chess board. This time, however, he offered to play chess. He had a new chess set in his office with beautiful pieces made from onyx. And we played the Spanish party. Gaddafi is not chess professional but he likes chess and the process of playing it is interesting for him. He started with a good opening and then blundered away a piece. That annoyed him very much. However, the rules are the rules and we continued to play but I felt uncomfortable and offered a draw.
Churchill, when interviewing a candidate for his team, asked if he knew how to play chess. He recruited only those who could play it. A politician should think not one move ahead; he must calculate many moves, see possible positions, their strong and week points. Now, in North Africa, the game is played out, when several players play at once. However, some of them want to change the rules of the game and to play their ‘own game’ only. Unfortunately, ordinary people suffer; women and children are dying as a result of this "game".
Author's entry: at a press conference in Moscow on September 14, one of the western journalists asked Kirsan Nikolayevich: "Did you ask permission of NATO to visit Tripoli?" President of FIDE answered with restraint: "According to FIDE regulations, President does not need to inform NATO. I received an invitation from the leadership of the Libyan Chess Federation; we plan to cooperate with African countries."
Kirsan Nikolaevich added, emphasizing again the main message of Tripoli: "The Libyan leadership is ready for immediate talks. Right now, the leadership of Libya is ready to sit down at the negotiating table with the leadership of NATO and with those who are in Benghazi."
Who of the Western politicians will follow the example of FIDE President and sit down at the chessboard with Gaddafi? Who will accept an invitation of Gaddafi? Maybe NATO pilots should start playing chess with the Libyans instead of bombing the Libyan chess players?
As Leo Tolstoy said, "any chess game is always concerned for the future."
N. Sologubovsky, correspondent of MK, Tripoli - Moscow, June 14, 2011
