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ARMENIANS SAY HUNGARY MADE NO EFFORT TO RESOLVE FRICTION OVER AZERI MURDERER
http://www.armradio.am/en/2013/09/20/armenians-say-hungary-made-no-effort-to-resolve-friction-over-azeri-murderer/
10:42 20.09.2013
Over the past year the Hungarian government has made almost no effort
to resolve the friction that resulted from the repatriation of an
Azeri murderer who was freed after arriving home, the head of the
self-government of ethnic Armenians said, politics.ru reports.
Azeri officer Ramil Safarov, who was sentenced to life imprisonment
for killing an Armenian in Budapest in 2004, was transferred back to
his home country on August 31, 2012 under an extradition agreement.
Although Azerbaijan formally pledged that the life sentence handed down
to him in Hungary would be directly continued when he was returned to
his homeland, the Azerbaijani president granted him clemency. Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan announced the same day that Armenia suspended
diplomatic relations with Hungary.
Two days later State Secretary of Foreign Affairs Zsolt Nemeth summoned
the Azerbaijani ambassador to his office and condemned the Azerbaijani
step as unacceptable to Hungary in a diplomatic note.
The head of the Armenian self-government Sevan Sargsyan told the press
that it is still not known what advantage Hungary had gained from
the repatriation of Safarov. The European Union could put pressure
on Azerbaijan through the Eastern Partnership programme but Hungary
has made no steps to achieve this, he added. According to Sevan, the
"total lack of interest" demonstrated by Hungary in this matter is
"shocking".
The Foreign Ministry said in response that the Hungarian government
had taken several steps to restore Hungarian-Armenian diplomatic
links, for instance Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi sent a letter
to Armenian counterpart Edvard Nalbandjan about this on September 7,
2012. The ministry also sent a diplomatic note to the Armenian ministry
to confirm the wish to restore relations.
The Foreign Ministry initiated dialogue with the officials of the
self-government of ethnic Armenians in Hungary right after the
repatriation of Safarov, the statement added.
"It is in Hungary's interest that Hungarian-Armenian friendship
should further deepen and cooperation between the two countries should
strengthen and broaden in every field of life, including diplomatic
relations," the ministry said.
The ministry also said that the standing of diplomatic links between
Hungary and Armenia must not, and does not, have any effect on the
situation of ethnic Armenians in Hungary. The ministry, moreover,
rejects charges by the Armenian self-government that the government
handled ethnic Armenians in Hungary as "traitors" and that they
cannot feel safe in Hungary anymore. The ministry also rejects the
claim that the ethnic Armenians in Hungary are left out of efforts
to restore diplomatic links between Hungary and Armenia.
In line with Hungary's constitution, ethnic minorities are part of
the Hungarian political community and are state-forming elements,
and Hungary guarantees to nurture and protect the minorities' language
and culture, the statement said.
http://www.armradio.am/en/2013/09/20/armenians-say-hungary-made-no-effort-to-resolve-friction-over-azeri-murderer/
10:42 20.09.2013
Over the past year the Hungarian government has made almost no effort
to resolve the friction that resulted from the repatriation of an
Azeri murderer who was freed after arriving home, the head of the
self-government of ethnic Armenians said, politics.ru reports.
Azeri officer Ramil Safarov, who was sentenced to life imprisonment
for killing an Armenian in Budapest in 2004, was transferred back to
his home country on August 31, 2012 under an extradition agreement.
Although Azerbaijan formally pledged that the life sentence handed down
to him in Hungary would be directly continued when he was returned to
his homeland, the Azerbaijani president granted him clemency. Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan announced the same day that Armenia suspended
diplomatic relations with Hungary.
Two days later State Secretary of Foreign Affairs Zsolt Nemeth summoned
the Azerbaijani ambassador to his office and condemned the Azerbaijani
step as unacceptable to Hungary in a diplomatic note.
The head of the Armenian self-government Sevan Sargsyan told the press
that it is still not known what advantage Hungary had gained from
the repatriation of Safarov. The European Union could put pressure
on Azerbaijan through the Eastern Partnership programme but Hungary
has made no steps to achieve this, he added. According to Sevan, the
"total lack of interest" demonstrated by Hungary in this matter is
"shocking".
The Foreign Ministry said in response that the Hungarian government
had taken several steps to restore Hungarian-Armenian diplomatic
links, for instance Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi sent a letter
to Armenian counterpart Edvard Nalbandjan about this on September 7,
2012. The ministry also sent a diplomatic note to the Armenian ministry
to confirm the wish to restore relations.
The Foreign Ministry initiated dialogue with the officials of the
self-government of ethnic Armenians in Hungary right after the
repatriation of Safarov, the statement added.
"It is in Hungary's interest that Hungarian-Armenian friendship
should further deepen and cooperation between the two countries should
strengthen and broaden in every field of life, including diplomatic
relations," the ministry said.
The ministry also said that the standing of diplomatic links between
Hungary and Armenia must not, and does not, have any effect on the
situation of ethnic Armenians in Hungary. The ministry, moreover,
rejects charges by the Armenian self-government that the government
handled ethnic Armenians in Hungary as "traitors" and that they
cannot feel safe in Hungary anymore. The ministry also rejects the
claim that the ethnic Armenians in Hungary are left out of efforts
to restore diplomatic links between Hungary and Armenia.
In line with Hungary's constitution, ethnic minorities are part of
the Hungarian political community and are state-forming elements,
and Hungary guarantees to nurture and protect the minorities' language
and culture, the statement said.