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HEAD OF HUNGARIAN DIPLOMATIC AGENCY SAYS LEAKED FOREIGN AFFAIRS REPORT SUGGESTS AZERI PRESIDENT MISLED HUNGARY
Politics.hu
Sept 10 2012
Hungary
A restricted document issued by the Hungarian Institute of
International Affairs (MKI), leaked by news website nol.hu on Friday,
indicates that Hungarian authorities were misled by Azerbaijan in
connection with the handover of the Azeri officer who killed an
Armenian officer in Hungary eight years ago.
The MKI's head Botond Zakonyi said the leaking of the document,
which analysed the diplomatic situation, had been "unfortunate". The
Institute, a government agency for foreign affairs, regularly issues
such reports on key affairs of Hungarian diplomacy, he added.
The document, according to nol.hu, stated that Prime Minister Viktor
Orban had met Azeri President Ilham Aliyev to discuss the repatriation
of the prisoner. The president had promised him that the life-sentenced
Ramil Safarov would be kept behind bars. Safarov was pardoned and
released on arrival to this homeland. Hungary condemned the release in
a diplomatic note two days later, but Armenia nevertheless suspended
diplomatic relations with Hungary over the case.
The MKI report concluded that Hungary had been misled by the Azeri
president, nol.hu reported, citing a copy of the document. It added
that Hungary was surprised by Safarov's release and needed 24 hours to
formulate an official government position on the matter. The report
added that Azerbaijan had tried to give the false impression there
had been an agreement with Hungary on Safarov's release.
"Azerbaijan is much more important to Hungary at the moment than vice
versa,," the report said, adding that for this reason Budapest would
not openly say that the Azeri president had misled Orban.
The MKI suggested that Hungary should pursue a communcations strategy
which made it plain that the release had been made without Hungary's
consent. "We must speak of a misunderstanding," the report said.
The report said it was clear that relations between Hungary and
Armenia would be icy for a period of time but it added that in the
medium-term relations could be revived through hard work.
Safarov was convicted in Hungary in 2006 for murdering the Armenian
Gurgen Margaryan two years earlier. The two men attended a NATO
English-language course together. Safarov was sentenced to life
and sent to prison in Hungary but requested getting transferred to
Azerbaijan. On returning to Azerbaijan, Safarov got an immediate
pardon by his country's president and welcomed as a hero.
http://www.politics.hu/20120910/head-of-hungarian-diplomatic-agency-says-leaked-foreign-affairs-report-suggests-azeri-president-misled-hungary/
Politics.hu
Sept 10 2012
Hungary
A restricted document issued by the Hungarian Institute of
International Affairs (MKI), leaked by news website nol.hu on Friday,
indicates that Hungarian authorities were misled by Azerbaijan in
connection with the handover of the Azeri officer who killed an
Armenian officer in Hungary eight years ago.
The MKI's head Botond Zakonyi said the leaking of the document,
which analysed the diplomatic situation, had been "unfortunate". The
Institute, a government agency for foreign affairs, regularly issues
such reports on key affairs of Hungarian diplomacy, he added.
The document, according to nol.hu, stated that Prime Minister Viktor
Orban had met Azeri President Ilham Aliyev to discuss the repatriation
of the prisoner. The president had promised him that the life-sentenced
Ramil Safarov would be kept behind bars. Safarov was pardoned and
released on arrival to this homeland. Hungary condemned the release in
a diplomatic note two days later, but Armenia nevertheless suspended
diplomatic relations with Hungary over the case.
The MKI report concluded that Hungary had been misled by the Azeri
president, nol.hu reported, citing a copy of the document. It added
that Hungary was surprised by Safarov's release and needed 24 hours to
formulate an official government position on the matter. The report
added that Azerbaijan had tried to give the false impression there
had been an agreement with Hungary on Safarov's release.
"Azerbaijan is much more important to Hungary at the moment than vice
versa,," the report said, adding that for this reason Budapest would
not openly say that the Azeri president had misled Orban.
The MKI suggested that Hungary should pursue a communcations strategy
which made it plain that the release had been made without Hungary's
consent. "We must speak of a misunderstanding," the report said.
The report said it was clear that relations between Hungary and
Armenia would be icy for a period of time but it added that in the
medium-term relations could be revived through hard work.
Safarov was convicted in Hungary in 2006 for murdering the Armenian
Gurgen Margaryan two years earlier. The two men attended a NATO
English-language course together. Safarov was sentenced to life
and sent to prison in Hungary but requested getting transferred to
Azerbaijan. On returning to Azerbaijan, Safarov got an immediate
pardon by his country's president and welcomed as a hero.
http://www.politics.hu/20120910/head-of-hungarian-diplomatic-agency-says-leaked-foreign-affairs-report-suggests-azeri-president-misled-hungary/