Garry Kasparov, the Russian opposition figure and former world chess champion, is seeking Latvian citizenship.



Reports say Kasparov has sent a letter to all Latvian parliamentary factions asking to be awarded citizenship.



He writes that Latvian citizenship will allow him to be involved in political activities in Russia and elsewhere "without any restrictions."



Kasparov says he wants to retain his Russian citizenship, however.



Kasparov was born in 1963 in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.



Some of his relatives currently live in Latvia.



He also said he had won an "important" chess victory in Latvia when he was 7 years old.



Based on reporting by Interfax and rus.delfi.lv