23
08, 2009

President Sargsyan attended the closing ceremony of the FIDE Grand Prix “Jermuk 2009” chess tournament

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On August 23, the President of the Republic of Armenia, the President of the Armenian Chess Federation Serzh Sargsyan attended in Jermuk the closing ceremony of the FIDE Grand Prix “Jermuk 2009” chess tournament dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Tigran Petrossian.

Greeting the chess players and those present, President Sargsyan said, “Today, we have concluded the Jermuk leg of the FIDE Grand Prix tournament. Even the most exciting and enjoyable things in life come to an end.

I am glad that in Jermuk we have witnessed an uncompromising and tenacious struggle. I am sure that for a long time to come the specialists will be analyzing all the parties that have been played here and will give their assessment; however, it looks like the tournament has been an interesting one.

This tournament has been a chess holiday not only in Armenia but for the chess playing public all over the world. As it has already been mentioned, millions of people in different corners of the world have been following this competition. I thank the FIDE and personally Mr. Ilyumzhinov and the leadership of the FIDE present here for their cooperation. It’s my pleasure to note that our cooperation with the FIDE in recent years has been very productive and we are ready to elevate the level of that cooperation.

I express gratitude to the outstanding chess players who partook in the tournament and added splendor to this tournament by their brilliant performance. I thank also the chief arbiter of the competition, the arbiters, the organizers, all those who contributed to the success of this tournament. We are all united by one thing – our love for the game of chess, and that unity always produces desirable results.

Before saying good-by, I want to wish success to our strongest grandmasters and chess players. Whatever they didn’t achieve in Jermuk, they will achieve later. I am confident that your best performances are yet to come. You ought to make all of us happy, display beautiful game because without beautiful chess something in this world will be missing, and spiritually we will be poorer.

I cordially congratulate the winner of the tournament, Vasili Ivanchuk on this beautiful victory and I wish success to you all.

I am happy that we have been able to honor the great son of the Armenian nation Tigran Petrossian with the performance of the world’s best chess players. This is also his celebration, the celebration of his dreams and ideals. Without Tigran Petrossian we wouldn’t have been able to have the chess playing Armenia of today. I salute Tigran Petrossian and bow to his shining memory.”

Afterwards, the President of Armenia, Tigran Petrossian’s son Vardan Petrossian and the leadership of the FIDE presented awards and souvenirs to the three winners of the FIDE Grand Prix “Jermuk 2009” tournament.

Participants to the ceremony cordially congratulated the winner of the Grand Prix Levon Aronian. After the Jermuk tournament with the total of his results he has become unreachable for the other participants and has won the right to participate in the competition for the title of the world champion.

The President of Armenia also warmly congratulated Levon Aronian and on behalf of the Armenian Chess Federation handed him as an award the certificate of the ownership of the apartment in one of Yerevan’s newly constructed apartment buildings. The President of Armenia expressed confidence that Levon Aronian is yet to show his best results.

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