From: fry@zariski.harvard.edu (David Fry)
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: Fischer-Spassky news conference
Date: 1 Sep 92 22:14:27 GMT
Article-I.D.: husc3.1992Sep1.181429.15285
Distribution: world
Organization: Harvard Math Department


Here, without permission and at the risk of going to jail for longer
than Bobby Fischer, is the AP report on this morning's news conference
in Yugoslavia where Fischer spit on the Treasury Department letter and
showed his anti-Semitism is no rumor.  I was too young when Fischer
was at his greatest to care about chess, but I studied him avidly in
my teens and desperately wanted him to return.  Now, however, he's
quickly destroying whatever romantic images I had of him.

David Fry                                  fry@math.harvard.edu
Division of Applied Sciences               fry@huma1.bitnet
Harvard University                      ...!harvard!huma1!fry
Cambridge, MA  02138            

---------------------

Copyright 1992. The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. 

   SVETI STEFAN, Yugoslavia (AP) -- Bobby Fischer, on the eve of his first
public chess match in 20 years, Tuesday spat on a letter from the U.S.
government warning him that he would be violating U.N. sanctions by playing in
Yugoslavia.  
   Fischer also declared that he remains world champion and characterized the
current titleholder, Garry Kasparov as among the "lowest dogs."  
   Fischer appeared at a news conference with Boris Spassky, whom he defeated in
Reykjavik, Iceland, in 1972 to take the world crown. They will split a $5
million purse.  
   Answering only pre-submitted questions, Fischer charged that professional
chess has been dominated by cheating since 1975, when the International Chess
Federation stripped him of his title after he refused to defend it.  
   He alleged that Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov had fixed their championship
match in 1984.  
   As he leafed through written questions, Fischer sneeringly criticized
Communists, Jews, Israel and the United Nations and said he felt ill-treated by
the United States.  
   The most dramatic moment of the news conference, held in a hotel in this
luxurious Adriatic resort, came at the beginning when he chose a question about
U.S. warnings against his playing in Yugoslavia.  
   "One second here," said Fischer, rummaging through a briefcase and pulling
out a lengthy letter.  
   "This is the order to provide information and cease and desist activities
from the Department of Treasury, Washington, D.C, Aug. 21, 1992," he said as he
brandished the document.  
   "So, this is my reply to the order not to defend my title here," he said,
holding it in front of his mouth and spitting loudly onto the paper.  
   Some Yugoslav journalists and match organizers applauded.  
   Fischer was asked by The Associated Press if he supports the U.N. sanctions,
which are aimed at punishing Serbia for its actions in the civil war 50 miles
away in Bosnia-Herzegovina.  
   "No I don't support the sactions because first of all I don't support the
U.N.," he said. "For example, look at Israel. There has been resolution after
resolution against them for them to leave the West Bank and so on. ... They
ignore resolutions and never have sanctions against them."  
   He also criticized the recent rescinding of the U.N. resolution equating
Zionism with racism.  
   Fischer has been warned by the government that he faces possible fines of
$250,000 and 10 years in prison if he proceeds with the match.  
   Asked about press reports characterizing him as anti-Semitic, Fischer replied
that Semites include both Arabs and Jews. "I am definitely not anti-Arab, OK?"  
   He said that Soviet communism is "basically a mask for Bolshevism, which is a
mask for Judaism."  
   As for whether his chess play has improved during the last 20 years since he
played publically, Fischer said only: "Well, we'll see."