
"I wish Kasparov all the best – in politics"
Interview with Vladimir Kramnik in Neues Deutschland
By René Gralla
May 6th is the second "anniversary" of the signing of the Prague
Unity Agreement. The mechanisms of this grand plan to bring the different
world championship titles together was originally suggested by Vladimir Kramnik
(see Yasser Seirawan's
interview). During a simultaneous exhibition in the city of Bonn, where
Kramnik was playing 20 opponents, amongst them members of the German women's
team, ND journalist René Graller spoke to 28-year-old Kramnik about
the political situation in chess. Here is a summary of the interview, which
appeared in the Eastern German newspaper Neues Deutschland.

Kramnik's simul in the "Bundeskunsthalle" in Bonn, Germany
On the "Prague Agreement": "I can only speak for myself.
I have an official title of World Champion, and the match
against Peter Leko continues with a classical cycle: the winner is the
new Classical World Champion. Everything is fine, there are no doubts. The
problems are on the other side, with the world chess federation FIDE. There
the situation is very unclear."
On the market value of his match: "My match against Leko will
be conducted with the cooperation of the Association of Chess Professionals
(ACP), to which about 100 top players belong. Leko and I are continuing a tradition
of world championship matches that started in the 19th century. The title which
I am defending is not bound to any special organisation, it belong to the entire
chess world."

On Garry Kasparov: "He is an exceptional chess player –
but he is no longer world champion. Chess is a sport and has objectively measurable
results. When you win you are the winner. When you don't win you may be an
excellent player – but you just haven't won.
On Kasparov's
joining the political fray in Russia: "It was a great surprise
for me. I wish him all the best."
On his own political aspirations: "If I was not a chess player
I would probably be an artist or musician."
On his chances against Leko: "Dr. Siegbert Tarrasch said it
is not enough to be an excellent chess player, it is also important to play
well."
Neues
Deutschland 06.05.04