Tweet
MosNews, Russia
Jan 12 2005
Chess Legend Kasparov Calls Putin `Fascist'
Russian President Vladimir Putin is a `fascist', Garry Kasparov,
widely regarded as one of history's greatest chess player, has told
the BBC. Kasparov accused the Russian leader of dismantling democracy
with the support of a supine West, which is only interested in
stability in the East.
Kasparov, currently in London to work on a new book and promotional
events, said that allowing Moscow to host the G8 summit in 2006 would
be the equivalent of Nazi Germany being allowed to host the Olympics
in 1936.
`[It is vital] to make sure there is no G7 meeting in Moscow in 2006.
It will be like the Berlin Olympics in 1936, it will be the
equivalent of Munich 1938, integrating Putin's Russia.
'The democracies are conceding to a brutal dictator. He has abolished
the nature of democratic institutions. He will go further.`
The West must stop its overt and tacit support for Mr Putin, Kasparov
said. 'Don't support Putin. It is not about giving support to us, but
Putin's main support comes from Western leaders. President Bush is
not shy about calling this KGB colonel his friend.`
Kasparov was born in the Azerbaijan capital Baku in 1963 to a Jewish
father and an Armenian mother. Ever since his victory over Anatoly
Karpov in 1985 to become world champion Kasparov has been portrayed
as an outsider who took on the Soviet establishment.
Kasparov helped set up Committee 2008, a group dedicated to bringing
down Vladimir Putin and stopping the constitution being changed so
that he can run for a third term, in January last year.
Commenting on the Yukos sale Kasparov called it 'the greatest robbery
of the 21st century`.
Kasparov takes heart from what has happened in Ukraine, and believes
Putin will have to leave office, perhaps even before his second term
comes to an end in 2008.
'There could be popular unrest. The stability [of Russia] exists only
in the mind of Bush and Blair. It lives through high oil prices and
censorship.`
Jan 12 2005
Chess Legend Kasparov Calls Putin `Fascist'
Russian President Vladimir Putin is a `fascist', Garry Kasparov,
widely regarded as one of history's greatest chess player, has told
the BBC. Kasparov accused the Russian leader of dismantling democracy
with the support of a supine West, which is only interested in
stability in the East.
Kasparov, currently in London to work on a new book and promotional
events, said that allowing Moscow to host the G8 summit in 2006 would
be the equivalent of Nazi Germany being allowed to host the Olympics
in 1936.
`[It is vital] to make sure there is no G7 meeting in Moscow in 2006.
It will be like the Berlin Olympics in 1936, it will be the
equivalent of Munich 1938, integrating Putin's Russia.
'The democracies are conceding to a brutal dictator. He has abolished
the nature of democratic institutions. He will go further.`
The West must stop its overt and tacit support for Mr Putin, Kasparov
said. 'Don't support Putin. It is not about giving support to us, but
Putin's main support comes from Western leaders. President Bush is
not shy about calling this KGB colonel his friend.`
Kasparov was born in the Azerbaijan capital Baku in 1963 to a Jewish
father and an Armenian mother. Ever since his victory over Anatoly
Karpov in 1985 to become world champion Kasparov has been portrayed
as an outsider who took on the Soviet establishment.
Kasparov helped set up Committee 2008, a group dedicated to bringing
down Vladimir Putin and stopping the constitution being changed so
that he can run for a third term, in January last year.
Commenting on the Yukos sale Kasparov called it 'the greatest robbery
of the 21st century`.
Kasparov takes heart from what has happened in Ukraine, and believes
Putin will have to leave office, perhaps even before his second term
comes to an end in 2008.
'There could be popular unrest. The stability [of Russia] exists only
in the mind of Bush and Blair. It lives through high oil prices and
censorship.`