The Central New Jersey Home News New Brunswick, New Jersey Friday, August 13, 1965 - Page 16
Castro Cables Chess Champ Denying Propaganda Motives
New York (AP) — Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro has sent a cable to U.S. chess champion Bobby Fischer denying that Cuba is seeking a propaganda advantage from Fischer's possible long-distance participation in an international tournament in Havana.
A spokesman for the 22-year-old champion said he was out of town and unreachable when the cable arrived yesterday, but he added:
Opens Door
“I believe this opens the door for Bobby to participate by telephone in the tournament.”
Fischer, denied permission by the U.S. State Department to visit the Communist island, had offered to play by telephone.
But Fischer then heard of reports from reliable sources in Havana that Castro viewed the State Department action as a “Propagandistic victory for Cuba.”
Fischer sent a cablegram to Castro Wednesday in which he withdrew from the tournament and added: “I shall re-enter the tournament only if you send immediate cable assuring me that you and your government seek and claim no political benefit from my participation and that no further political comments will issue from you concerning my participation.”
Denies Need
Castro said in his reply that “Our country has no need for such fleeting propaganda,” and added:
“If you have become frightened or regretful of your initial decision (to play by telephone or teletype) it would be better for you to contrive another pretext and have the courage to be honest.”
Castro denied in the cable-gram that he ever had made any comment on the State Department action, and also told Fischer:
“I am surprised you attribute to me some type of statement referring to your participation in the tournament. In this respect I have not said nor spoken a single word with anyone.”
Fischer, a Brooklyn resident, sought State Department permission last month to go to Cuba for the Capablanca Memorial Chess Tournament scheduled for Aug. 25 to Sept. 25.
The State Department said Fischer was not in any of the three categories of Americans allowed to go to Cuba. These are journalists, businessmen with longstanding connections in Cuba and persons on humanitarian missions.
