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Deutsche Welle, Germany
Sept 8 2012
Tensions simmer after axe murderer's pardon
Hungary's recent extradition of a convicted axe murderer to
Azerbaijan has caused a scandal. At home, the killer was pardoned and
celebrated. It's rumored that Hungary and Azerbaijan brokered a deal
for the extradition.
The last time a diplomatic gesture made by Hungary had geopolitical
consequences was in June 1989, when Hungary's then-foreign minister,
Gyula Horn, and his Austrian counterpart Alois Mock cut through the
border fence between the two countries. The gesture marked the
beginning of the end of the Iron Curtain between East and West.
Potentially grave consequences
This time around, 23 years on, a diplomatic gesture made by Hungary
could have far less positive - some even say disastrous - geopolitical
implications. Hungary has extradited a convicted murderer to
Azerbaijan, where he was instantly pardoned. This brought tensions
between Armenia and Azerbaijan to a new climax and the Caucasus region
to the verge of a new war.
The US, the EU and NATO have taken crisis diplomacy measures in an
attempt to prevent the worst case scenario between Armenia and
Azerbaijan from emerging.
Meanwhile, Hungary's government is rumored to have agreed to a foul
deal with Azerbaijan. In return for the extradition of murderer Ramil
Safarov, Azerbaijan is said to have promised Hungary to buy some three
billion euros ($3.84 billion) worth of its government bonds.
The Safarov case
During a NATO-sponsored training session held in Budapest in 2004,
Azeri soldier Ramil Safarov murdered a fellow Armenian course
participant in his sleep with an axe. Safarov said the killing stemmed
from traumatic childhood experiences in which his family was driven
out of Nagorno-Karabakh, the Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan. Disputes
over the region have put the two former Soviet republics in a state of
war with each other for almost 25 years now. Due to the intense
brutality of his deed, Safarov was sentenced to life in prison; and
pardoning him would only have been possible after a minimum of 30
years.
Safarov has since been celebrated as a national hero in Azerbaijan,
and Azeri diplomats tried for years to convince the Hungarian
authorities to extradite him. The Orban government finally agreed. On
August 31, Safarov was flown out of Hungary in an Azeri special plane.
Some say that Azerbaijan did make a promise to Hungary at the time
that Safarov would have to continue serving his sentence in prison.
But no sooner had the plane arrived at Baku airport than the
35-year-old was greeted as a hero. He was pardoned and even promoted
to the rank of major by Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev.
The move caused Armenia to stop all diplomatic relations instantly
with Hungary, and Armenians abroad took to the streets worldwide in
protest against Hungary.
Fortunes to spend
Azerbaijan, which has accrued significant capital with crude oil, is
said to be planning an investment of up to three billion euros worth
in Hungarian state obligations. Hungary could use the money. The
country is in a dire financial situation and has been in long
negotiations with the International Monetary Fun (IMF) about a
possible stand-by loan - without success so far.
Potential donors in China and Saudi Arabia denied Hungary loans not
long ago. So could the country have turned to Azerbaijan for money?
Both sides are denying that Baku promised to invest billions in
Hungarian bonds in return for Safarov. However, in early August,
Hungarian economic media outlets had already reported on a possible
bond buying deal planned by Azerbaijan. Both countries are also in
talks about intensifying economic cooperation.
Hungary's leadership has since commented nonchalantly on the potential
disaster stemming from Safarov's release. Hungary doesn't "consider
the conflict to be of particular importance," but rather was taking
notice of it "in calmness and optimism," said Prime Minister Viktor
Orban on Monday (03.09.2012) in Budapest.
Consternation and criticism
Politicians from the Hungarian opposition and a number of independent
observers are appalled at the government's conduct. The head of the
Socialist Party (MSZP), Attila Mesterhazy, asked in parliament: For
"just how much money has Viktor Orban sold Hungary?" A commentator of
Hungarian daily "Nepszabadsag" wrote that Hungary hasn't been left
with much of an international reputation to start with. Now, the
country would be regarded even more suspiciously, the commentator
continued.
While both the US and Russia voiced open criticism of Hungary's
extradition, the EU in Brussels is holding back official comments of
concern for now. Hungary had signed a bilateral agreement that was
quite obviously broken by Azerbaijan, said a spokesman for the EU's
foreign policy coordinator, Catherine Ashton, to DW.
It's likely, though, that there's behind-the-scenes consternation in
Brussels on Hungary's course of action, which could have a direct
impact on the overall stability in the Caucasus region. That's what
most observers in Hungary are concerned about, too. In an essay,
philosopher Gaspar Miklos Tamas criticizes what he calls the "lack of
responsibility and ignorance" demonstrated by Hungarian leaders.
"The fact that the Hungarian state is governed by some aging
adolescents who are aggressive, irresponsible and incapable of finding
their way in matters that concern the world at large is simply
appalling," he wrote.
http://www.dw.de/dw/article/0,,16227283,00.html
Sept 8 2012
Tensions simmer after axe murderer's pardon
Hungary's recent extradition of a convicted axe murderer to
Azerbaijan has caused a scandal. At home, the killer was pardoned and
celebrated. It's rumored that Hungary and Azerbaijan brokered a deal
for the extradition.
The last time a diplomatic gesture made by Hungary had geopolitical
consequences was in June 1989, when Hungary's then-foreign minister,
Gyula Horn, and his Austrian counterpart Alois Mock cut through the
border fence between the two countries. The gesture marked the
beginning of the end of the Iron Curtain between East and West.
Potentially grave consequences
This time around, 23 years on, a diplomatic gesture made by Hungary
could have far less positive - some even say disastrous - geopolitical
implications. Hungary has extradited a convicted murderer to
Azerbaijan, where he was instantly pardoned. This brought tensions
between Armenia and Azerbaijan to a new climax and the Caucasus region
to the verge of a new war.
The US, the EU and NATO have taken crisis diplomacy measures in an
attempt to prevent the worst case scenario between Armenia and
Azerbaijan from emerging.
Meanwhile, Hungary's government is rumored to have agreed to a foul
deal with Azerbaijan. In return for the extradition of murderer Ramil
Safarov, Azerbaijan is said to have promised Hungary to buy some three
billion euros ($3.84 billion) worth of its government bonds.
The Safarov case
During a NATO-sponsored training session held in Budapest in 2004,
Azeri soldier Ramil Safarov murdered a fellow Armenian course
participant in his sleep with an axe. Safarov said the killing stemmed
from traumatic childhood experiences in which his family was driven
out of Nagorno-Karabakh, the Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan. Disputes
over the region have put the two former Soviet republics in a state of
war with each other for almost 25 years now. Due to the intense
brutality of his deed, Safarov was sentenced to life in prison; and
pardoning him would only have been possible after a minimum of 30
years.
Safarov has since been celebrated as a national hero in Azerbaijan,
and Azeri diplomats tried for years to convince the Hungarian
authorities to extradite him. The Orban government finally agreed. On
August 31, Safarov was flown out of Hungary in an Azeri special plane.
Some say that Azerbaijan did make a promise to Hungary at the time
that Safarov would have to continue serving his sentence in prison.
But no sooner had the plane arrived at Baku airport than the
35-year-old was greeted as a hero. He was pardoned and even promoted
to the rank of major by Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev.
The move caused Armenia to stop all diplomatic relations instantly
with Hungary, and Armenians abroad took to the streets worldwide in
protest against Hungary.
Fortunes to spend
Azerbaijan, which has accrued significant capital with crude oil, is
said to be planning an investment of up to three billion euros worth
in Hungarian state obligations. Hungary could use the money. The
country is in a dire financial situation and has been in long
negotiations with the International Monetary Fun (IMF) about a
possible stand-by loan - without success so far.
Potential donors in China and Saudi Arabia denied Hungary loans not
long ago. So could the country have turned to Azerbaijan for money?
Both sides are denying that Baku promised to invest billions in
Hungarian bonds in return for Safarov. However, in early August,
Hungarian economic media outlets had already reported on a possible
bond buying deal planned by Azerbaijan. Both countries are also in
talks about intensifying economic cooperation.
Hungary's leadership has since commented nonchalantly on the potential
disaster stemming from Safarov's release. Hungary doesn't "consider
the conflict to be of particular importance," but rather was taking
notice of it "in calmness and optimism," said Prime Minister Viktor
Orban on Monday (03.09.2012) in Budapest.
Consternation and criticism
Politicians from the Hungarian opposition and a number of independent
observers are appalled at the government's conduct. The head of the
Socialist Party (MSZP), Attila Mesterhazy, asked in parliament: For
"just how much money has Viktor Orban sold Hungary?" A commentator of
Hungarian daily "Nepszabadsag" wrote that Hungary hasn't been left
with much of an international reputation to start with. Now, the
country would be regarded even more suspiciously, the commentator
continued.
While both the US and Russia voiced open criticism of Hungary's
extradition, the EU in Brussels is holding back official comments of
concern for now. Hungary had signed a bilateral agreement that was
quite obviously broken by Azerbaijan, said a spokesman for the EU's
foreign policy coordinator, Catherine Ashton, to DW.
It's likely, though, that there's behind-the-scenes consternation in
Brussels on Hungary's course of action, which could have a direct
impact on the overall stability in the Caucasus region. That's what
most observers in Hungary are concerned about, too. In an essay,
philosopher Gaspar Miklos Tamas criticizes what he calls the "lack of
responsibility and ignorance" demonstrated by Hungarian leaders.
"The fact that the Hungarian state is governed by some aging
adolescents who are aggressive, irresponsible and incapable of finding
their way in matters that concern the world at large is simply
appalling," he wrote.
http://www.dw.de/dw/article/0,,16227283,00.html