NAMES IN THE NEWS : Kasparov Idea Riles Mongolians
World chess champion Garry Kasparov has an entire country indignant over his latest move.
Kasparov, 26, proposed in an interview in Playboy magazine’s November issue that the Soviet Union sell Mongolia, an independent country and a loyal ally of the Soviets, to China.
Soviet government spokesman Gennady I. Gerasimov said Wednesday that protest letters and petitions signed by thousands of Mongolians have arrived at the Soviet Embassy in Ulan Bator, capital of Mongolia, and four Soviet consulates.
He said two-hour strikes were held Dec. 30 at Mongolian plants that make goods for the Soviet market.
In the interview, Kasparov said: “I just had the thought the other day: Why don’t we sell the Kurile Islands to the Japanese? Frankly speaking, I’m not sure the islands belong to us, and the Japanese, who claim them, would give us billions and billions for them!
“That would keep us going for maybe five or 10 years. Then we could sell Mongolia to China and get a few more years that way.”
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