Unanimous Division in Cyprus?

by ChessBase
8/7/2010 – Two days ago we published a letter from the Cyprus chess federation that described "unanimous" support for the incumbent FIDE president. Now we have received a letter from Vassilis Aristotelous, Cyprus Chess Federation PR officer and Board member. He disputes that statement and questions the legitimacy of the letter of support for Ilyumzhinov. Apparently the chess community is divided.
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Unanimous Division in Cyprus

The Board of the Cyprus Federation has 18 members, two from each of the nine clubs in the country. Vassilis Aristotelous is a board member and is also the Federation's public relations officer.

Cyprus "unanimous" division!

The letter of support for Mr. Kirsan Ilyumzhinov sent by Mr. Christoforos Tornaritis, the president of the Cyprus Chess Federation, is grossly misleading and/or misrepresenting the true facts.

The announced "unanimous" decision has completely divided Cyprus Federation which needs all the available time, till election time in September, to decide on the matter, and such open letters of support at this stage are not only unnecessary but they are also very dangerous for the unity of the federation.

On the 12th of July, ten out of the eighteen members of the Board have indicated their preference towards the candidacy of Mr. Karpov in a signed document which is attached below. Although there was a clear majority for Karpov, the contents of this document (statement of support) was not publicized for purposes of unity of the Cyprus Federation.

In reality Cyprus Chess Federation is still deeply divided regarding who to support at the forthcoming FIDE elections. Additionally the letter – statement of support – appearing at the official site of candidate Ilyumzhinov lacks legality and official status due to the facts that it's not printed on the official letterhead of the federation and signature of the Secretary is missing which is necessary in all official documents of the federation, according to its memorandum.

Vassilis Aristotelous
August 5, 2010

He also attached the following document:

Translation:

12 July 2010

STATEMENT

The following members of the board of the Cyprus Chess Federation we hereby state responsibly and irrevocably our support to Mr. Anatoly Karpov for the presidency of the World Chess Federation (FIDE). We also wish that this statement of support is published and candidate Mr. Karpov is notified.

  1. Martides Alkis
  2. Evdokiou Neofytos
  3. Zacharoplastis Pambos
  4. Aristotelous Vassilis
  5. Poullis Yiannos
  6. Poullis Marios
  7. Kasinopoullos Doros
  8. Theocharous Charis
  9. Yiapanis George
  10. Papanicolaou Phidias

Cyprus, officially the Republic of Cyprus, is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with a population of around 900,000 inhabitants. It became an EU member in 2004. There are traces of human activity there dating to 10,000 BC. The island has been divided and fought over for millennia. Today the Republic of Cyprus is de facto partitioned into two main parts, the area under the effective control of the Republic of Cyprus, comprising about 59% of the island's area, and the Turkish-occupied area in the north, calling itself the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, covering about 37% of the island's area and recognized only by Turkey.

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