Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept 5 /Trend S.Agayeva/
The Hungarian Foreign Ministry has called absurd, the information about the suspension of diplomatic relations with Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani ambassador to Hungary Vilayat Guliyev told Trend, commenting on the statement of Armenian media.
He noted that he has met with Hungary's director of the Department of Foreign Affairs on Eastern Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia, Erne Keshneni, who called the reports absurd. A Hungarian Foreign Ministry spokesman said that Budapest intends to develop further relations with all countries, including Azerbaijan and Armenia, if Yerevan restores the diplomatic relations.
Hungary is considering the suspension of relations with Azerbaijan, Armenian media reported today, citing a source in the OSCE Secretariat in Vienna. According to the source the issue was , supposedly discussed yesterday at a formal dinner with a member of the Hungarian Mission to the OSCE and an American diplomat and is regarded as one of the ways out of a difficult foreign policy situation in which the Hungary is after the extradition of Azerbaijani officer Ramil Safarov to Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijani officer Ramil Safarov, who was convicted in Hungary, returned to Azerbaijan last Friday. On the same day he was pardoned by the Head of State.
Ramil Safarov was born on August 25, 1977 in the Jabrail region of Azerbaijan. Safarov, 34, who participated in NATO exercises in 2004 in Hungary, was charged with the murder of the Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan, who insulted the Azerbaijani flag. By the verdict of the Budapest court, Safarov was sentenced to life imprisonment without the right of pardon during 30 years.
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan announced that Armenia had suspended diplomatic relations and official contacts with Hungary immediately after the liberation of the Azerbaijani officer.
Guliyev noted that two days ago, he met with Secretary of State of the Office of Prime Minister of Hungary on International Relations Peter Szijjarto, who said that the matter is now closed for Budapest and yesterday Prime Minister Viktor Orban also said that the question of Safarov's extradition was carried out in accordance with international standards and with transparency.
"There are various rumours and reports on the Safarov issue and Hungary's consideration of suspension of diplomatic relations with Azerbaijan is one of them," the Ambassador said.
"The two countries continue to cooperate and we intend to continue to develop our relationship. There are plans to hold the next meeting of the intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation and the governments of both countries are preparing for this meeting, Guliyev said.