YEREVAN. – President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, who is also the President of the Chess Federation of Armenia, on Tuesday met with the 2013 World Chess Champion, Grandmaster (GM) Magnus Carlsen (Norway), who tops the World Chess Federation (FIDE) rankings, and GM Levon Aronian, who is second in the FIDE rankings and who plays first board for the three-time World Chess Olympiad champions and the former World Team Chess champions Armenia.   

Carlsen is visiting Armenia at the invitation of the Initiatives for Development of Armenia (IDeA) Foundation and Acronis Company.

The President also received the heads of the world’s several leading information technology (IT) companies, who likewise are in Armenia along the lines of an IDeA Foundation program.   

The foundation executive director noted that the objective of this program is to present Armenia to the world and to create new development opportunities in the country.  

The President stressed that it is a great honor to host in Armenia the world’s strongest chess player.

“I am glad that Levon Aronian is here, too. He is the pride of our nation, and I believe Magnus’ strongest opponent in chess. We have great expectations from Levon. 

“Of course, I am also glad that people who have achieved great success in the information technology sector [likewise] are gathered here,” Sargsyan said, in particular.   

In turn, Carlsen stated that it is a great honor for him to be, in his definition, in “the great chess state, the lovely Armenia.”

“Over the course of the few days that I’m here in Armenia, I saw the love and enthusiasm which the Armenian people have towards chess. I think that Armenia serves as a wonderful example to the whole world,” the world chess champion specifically stated. 

During the talk, the interlocutors reflected on Armenia’s scientific and educational potential, the activities that were carried out in the country towards the development of chess and the IT sector, and the long-term development projects for Armenia.