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WAR THREAT AFTER AXE MURDERER RETURNS HOME TO FREEDOM AND A HERO'S WELCOME: ARMENIA
The Times (London)
September 5, 2012 Wednesday
Edition 2; National Edition
by : Adam LeBor
The President of Armenia warned that the country was ready for war
with Azerbaijan after its neighbour gave a hero's welcome to a man
freed early from a 30-year sentence imposed for the axe murder of an
Armenian soldier.
The convict, Ramil Safarov, hacked Lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan
to death while both were attending a Nato "Partnership for Peace"
training programme in Budapest in 2004. Lieutenant Margaryan was
asleep when Safarov hit him 16 times, virtually decapitating him.
Safarov was jailed for 30 years after telling the Hungarian court that
he had lost control after Margaryan taunted him about Nagorno-Karabakh,
the predominantly Armenian enclave inside Azerbaijan. Safarov was a
refugee from Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Hungarian Government released him having been assured that
he would serve the rest of his sentence in his home country, but
President Aliyev of Azerbaijan pardoned him immediatley.
Safarov was greeted by cheers and flowers, promoted to the rank of
major and given a new apartment and eight years' back pay for the
time he had spent in prison.
His release caused fury in Armenia, which has cut diplomatic relations
with Hungary. Protesters in Yerevan, the Armenian capital, burnt
the Hungarian flag and pelted the consulate with tomatoes. But the
affair is more than a spat. It has triggered a diplomatic storm that
threatens to destabilise one of the world's most volatile regions
and is making waves from Washington to Moscow.
Despite attempts by the international community to mediate, relations
between Armenia and Azerbaijan remain poisonous. The two countries
fought a six-year war over Nagorno-Karabakh that ended in 1994.
The war remains an open wound in both national psyches. One million
people were made homeless, 30,000 were killed and the border remains
tense. President Sargsyan of Armenia said: "We don't want a war but
if we have to we will fight and win. We are not afraid of killers,
even if they enjoy the protection of the head of state."
Patrick Ventrell, a spokesman for the US State Department, said of
Safarov's pardoning: "We are expressing our deep concern to Azerbaijan
regarding this action and seeking an explanation. We are also seeking
further details from Hungary regarding the decision to transfer Mr
Safarov to Azerbaijan."
Russia, a key mediator, said that the actions of the Hungarian
and Azerbaijani governments "contradict internationally brokered"
peace efforts.
Azerbaijan dismissed American criticism.
Elmar Mammadyarov, the Foreign Minister, told William Burns, Deputy
Secretary of State, that it must be "taken into account" that Safarov
was a refugee from Nagorno-Karabakh and that the real issue was the
withdrawal of Armenian forces from the enclave.
Hungary said that it had been misled by the Azerbaijani Government.
Officials said they had assurances from Azerbaijan that Safarov would
not be released on parole until he served serve at least 25 years.
Hungary's blunder is surprising, say analysts, as it has has a solid
reputation as an honest broker. It was one of the few countries to
keep an embassy in Tripoli during the Libyan civil war. It secured
the release of four Western journalists and a Dutch model who was an
ex-girlfriend of one of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's sons. By the end
of the war Budapest was representing 50 nations.
However, it seems that the veterans at the foreign ministry have
been sidelined in favour of a new diplomatic side-channel set
up by Viktor Orban, the Prime Minister, and his ultra-loyalist
protege Peter Szijjarto, the new Minister for External Economic
Relations. The Budapest blogosphere is awash with the rumour that
Hungary has struck a secret deal under which Azerbaijan would buy
Hungarian bonds in exchange for Safarov's transfer. Hungary has been
trying unsuccessfully to negotiate a financial aid package with the
IMF and the European Union since its currency plunged in value this
year and its sovereign bonds were downgraded to "junk" status.
Mr Orban recently visited Baku, the Azerbaijani capital, to find new
trading partners and investors after Western businesses proved wary
of his unorthodox economic policies. But the Azerbaijani ambassador
to Budapest dismissed claims of a deal over Safarov as "nonsensical".
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
The Times (London)
September 5, 2012 Wednesday
Edition 2; National Edition
by : Adam LeBor
The President of Armenia warned that the country was ready for war
with Azerbaijan after its neighbour gave a hero's welcome to a man
freed early from a 30-year sentence imposed for the axe murder of an
Armenian soldier.
The convict, Ramil Safarov, hacked Lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan
to death while both were attending a Nato "Partnership for Peace"
training programme in Budapest in 2004. Lieutenant Margaryan was
asleep when Safarov hit him 16 times, virtually decapitating him.
Safarov was jailed for 30 years after telling the Hungarian court that
he had lost control after Margaryan taunted him about Nagorno-Karabakh,
the predominantly Armenian enclave inside Azerbaijan. Safarov was a
refugee from Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Hungarian Government released him having been assured that
he would serve the rest of his sentence in his home country, but
President Aliyev of Azerbaijan pardoned him immediatley.
Safarov was greeted by cheers and flowers, promoted to the rank of
major and given a new apartment and eight years' back pay for the
time he had spent in prison.
His release caused fury in Armenia, which has cut diplomatic relations
with Hungary. Protesters in Yerevan, the Armenian capital, burnt
the Hungarian flag and pelted the consulate with tomatoes. But the
affair is more than a spat. It has triggered a diplomatic storm that
threatens to destabilise one of the world's most volatile regions
and is making waves from Washington to Moscow.
Despite attempts by the international community to mediate, relations
between Armenia and Azerbaijan remain poisonous. The two countries
fought a six-year war over Nagorno-Karabakh that ended in 1994.
The war remains an open wound in both national psyches. One million
people were made homeless, 30,000 were killed and the border remains
tense. President Sargsyan of Armenia said: "We don't want a war but
if we have to we will fight and win. We are not afraid of killers,
even if they enjoy the protection of the head of state."
Patrick Ventrell, a spokesman for the US State Department, said of
Safarov's pardoning: "We are expressing our deep concern to Azerbaijan
regarding this action and seeking an explanation. We are also seeking
further details from Hungary regarding the decision to transfer Mr
Safarov to Azerbaijan."
Russia, a key mediator, said that the actions of the Hungarian
and Azerbaijani governments "contradict internationally brokered"
peace efforts.
Azerbaijan dismissed American criticism.
Elmar Mammadyarov, the Foreign Minister, told William Burns, Deputy
Secretary of State, that it must be "taken into account" that Safarov
was a refugee from Nagorno-Karabakh and that the real issue was the
withdrawal of Armenian forces from the enclave.
Hungary said that it had been misled by the Azerbaijani Government.
Officials said they had assurances from Azerbaijan that Safarov would
not be released on parole until he served serve at least 25 years.
Hungary's blunder is surprising, say analysts, as it has has a solid
reputation as an honest broker. It was one of the few countries to
keep an embassy in Tripoli during the Libyan civil war. It secured
the release of four Western journalists and a Dutch model who was an
ex-girlfriend of one of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's sons. By the end
of the war Budapest was representing 50 nations.
However, it seems that the veterans at the foreign ministry have
been sidelined in favour of a new diplomatic side-channel set
up by Viktor Orban, the Prime Minister, and his ultra-loyalist
protege Peter Szijjarto, the new Minister for External Economic
Relations. The Budapest blogosphere is awash with the rumour that
Hungary has struck a secret deal under which Azerbaijan would buy
Hungarian bonds in exchange for Safarov's transfer. Hungary has been
trying unsuccessfully to negotiate a financial aid package with the
IMF and the European Union since its currency plunged in value this
year and its sovereign bonds were downgraded to "junk" status.
Mr Orban recently visited Baku, the Azerbaijani capital, to find new
trading partners and investors after Western businesses proved wary
of his unorthodox economic policies. But the Azerbaijani ambassador
to Budapest dismissed claims of a deal over Safarov as "nonsensical".
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress