This week in history – 1990: Kasparov rescues Armenian relatives

MADRID – Gary Kasparov, the Russian world chess champion, rescued 60 Armenian family and friends from an armed mob of Muslim Azeris in the city of Baku, writes Tim McGirk.

A Spanish chess player, Leontxo Garcia, on Thursday telephoned the world champion in Moscow after he had successfully managed to fly some – but not all – of his Armenian relatives to safety.

As Mr Kasparov, whose status in the Soviet Union is akin to a popstar or football hero, related: 'I managed to get some of my friends to send a special plane to Baku, which we filled with 60 people, including nearly all of my family. It was a miracle that we saved them. Getting to the airport, while the Azeri rebels were trying to cut off all the roads, was an odyssey. I didn't feel safe until I was back in Moscow, hugging my wife.' The 26-year old chess master's flight from Baku occurred last Wednesday at the height of the Azeri attacks in which more than 50 Armenians were massacred. Mr Garcia wrote up his telephone conversation in the Spanish daily, El Pais. Mr Kasparaov said that although he personally was not in any danger, several of his Armenian family were on the Azeri militants' revenge list. 'He was unable to get out two of his relatives,' said Mr Garcia. Mr Garica said: 'Gary repeated several times that he was so angry, he didn't want to make any political statements which he might regret later. He kept saying, 'Forgive me . . . but I can still see those children suffering in Baku.'

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