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MOSCOW CRITICIZES PARDONING OF ARMENIAN OFFICER'S KILLER
Interfax
Sept 3 2012
Russia
The steps of the Azeri and Hungarian authorities, which resulted in
the release and pardon of Azeri serviceman Ramil Safarov who killed
Armenian officer Gurgen Margarian in Budapest in 2004, disagree with
international efforts aimed to ease Armenian-Azeri tensions, Russian
Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in a statement
published on the ministry website on Monday.
"We think that these actions of the Azeri and Hungarian authorities
disagree with the efforts coordinated on the international level,
primarily at the OSCE Minsk Group, and aimed to lower regional
tensions," he said.
"Russia, a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group assisting the Karabakh
settlement, is deeply concerned about the pardoning of Azeri serviceman
R. Safarov, whom a Hungarian court sentenced to life in jail for the
cruel murder of an Armenian officer in Hungary in 2004, and the earlier
decision of the Hungarian authorities to extradite him to Azerbaijan,"
Lukashevich said.
"We expect the OSCE Minsk Group cochairmen to evaluate the situation
shortly," he noted.
It was reported earlier that Azeri army officer Ramil Safarov killed
Armenian army lieutenant Gurgen Margarian with an axe in his sleep
in Budapest on February 19, 2004. Both officers attended an English
language course under NATO's Partnership for Peace program in Hungary.
A Budapest court sentenced Safarov to life without the right to parole
during the first 30 years of his imprisonment on April 13, 2006.
However, Hungary extradited Safarov to Azerbaijan on August 31, 2012.
Azeri President Ilham Aliyev immediately pardoned Safarov, promoted
him to major, gave him keys to a new apartment and paid allowance
for 8.5 years.
Azerbaijan "flagrantly breaches international laws, international
conventions and agreements," Nalbandian said.
Yerevan said earlier that it broke up diplomatic relations with
Hungary over the incident.
In turn, the Hungarian Justice Ministry said Safarov was extradited
to Azerbaijan pursuant to the Strasbourg Convention on Extradition
signed in 1983.
"The return of Ramil Safarov is a question of bilateral relations of
Azerbaijan and Hungary, resolved within the legal framework. It does
not conflict with international legal norms," Azeri Foreign Ministry
spokesman Elman Abdullayev said.
The U.S. demanded Hungarian explanations of the transfer of Safarov
to Azerbaijan on August 31. U.S. National Security Council press
secretary Tommy Vietor expressed concern over his pardon.
From: Baghdasarian
Interfax
Sept 3 2012
Russia
The steps of the Azeri and Hungarian authorities, which resulted in
the release and pardon of Azeri serviceman Ramil Safarov who killed
Armenian officer Gurgen Margarian in Budapest in 2004, disagree with
international efforts aimed to ease Armenian-Azeri tensions, Russian
Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in a statement
published on the ministry website on Monday.
"We think that these actions of the Azeri and Hungarian authorities
disagree with the efforts coordinated on the international level,
primarily at the OSCE Minsk Group, and aimed to lower regional
tensions," he said.
"Russia, a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group assisting the Karabakh
settlement, is deeply concerned about the pardoning of Azeri serviceman
R. Safarov, whom a Hungarian court sentenced to life in jail for the
cruel murder of an Armenian officer in Hungary in 2004, and the earlier
decision of the Hungarian authorities to extradite him to Azerbaijan,"
Lukashevich said.
"We expect the OSCE Minsk Group cochairmen to evaluate the situation
shortly," he noted.
It was reported earlier that Azeri army officer Ramil Safarov killed
Armenian army lieutenant Gurgen Margarian with an axe in his sleep
in Budapest on February 19, 2004. Both officers attended an English
language course under NATO's Partnership for Peace program in Hungary.
A Budapest court sentenced Safarov to life without the right to parole
during the first 30 years of his imprisonment on April 13, 2006.
However, Hungary extradited Safarov to Azerbaijan on August 31, 2012.
Azeri President Ilham Aliyev immediately pardoned Safarov, promoted
him to major, gave him keys to a new apartment and paid allowance
for 8.5 years.
Azerbaijan "flagrantly breaches international laws, international
conventions and agreements," Nalbandian said.
Yerevan said earlier that it broke up diplomatic relations with
Hungary over the incident.
In turn, the Hungarian Justice Ministry said Safarov was extradited
to Azerbaijan pursuant to the Strasbourg Convention on Extradition
signed in 1983.
"The return of Ramil Safarov is a question of bilateral relations of
Azerbaijan and Hungary, resolved within the legal framework. It does
not conflict with international legal norms," Azeri Foreign Ministry
spokesman Elman Abdullayev said.
The U.S. demanded Hungarian explanations of the transfer of Safarov
to Azerbaijan on August 31. U.S. National Security Council press
secretary Tommy Vietor expressed concern over his pardon.
From: Baghdasarian