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HEAD OF HUNGARIAN DIPLOMATIC AGENCY SAYS LEAKED FOREIGN AFFAIRS REPORT SUGGESTS AZERI PRESIDENT MISLED HUNGARY
ARMENPRESS
10 September, 2012
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS: 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,
reports Armenpress citing Politics.hu. 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.
From: A. Papazian
ARMENPRESS
10 September, 2012
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS: 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,
reports Armenpress citing Politics.hu. 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.
From: A. Papazian