YEREVAN.- Budapest would like to see the Hungarian–Armenian diplomatic relations restored in due course, Hungarian Foreign Ministry said.
Foreign Ministry responded to the Armenian News-NEWS.am inquiry whether Hungary is taking precise steps to resume diplomatic relations between the states.
In its response the Ministry evasively presents reasons for suspension of diplomatic relations and provides joint communiqué issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice of Hungary.
“Concerning the suspension of the diplomatic relations we declared in Brussels several times that Hungary was and is firm in its determination to avoid any interference of this bilateral issue on the EU level. We did not ask for EU solidarity and we continue to be committed to the development of EU–Armenian relations,” the Ministry said.
Ramil Safarov, a lieutenant in the Azerbaijani military, was extradited on August 31, 2012 from Hungary, where he was serving a life sentence—and with no expression of either regret or remorse—for the premeditated axe murder of Armenian lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan, in his sleep, during a NATO Partnership for Peace program in Budapest back in 2004. Safarov had planned on killing the other Armenian military serviceman, who likewise was attending the aforesaid program, but he was unable to carry out this plan.
Ramil Safarov’s return to Baku was welcomed, as was his act of murder, by the officials of president Ilham Aliyev’s government and much of Azerbaijani society, and the Azerbaijani president immediately granted him a pardon, he was declared a national hero, promoted to a higher military rank, and was allocated housing and pension.
Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan announced on August 31, 2012 that Armenia is suspending its diplomatic ties with Hungary. Also, Sargsyan instructed the Ministry of Justice to take all measures to petition to the international judicial tribunals, and with respect to the Safarov case.
Ramil Safarov’s pardoning was condemned by virtually all international organizations.
