Armenian FM talks Safarov pardoning at OSCE MG meeting

September 3, 2012 - 15:59 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - On September 2, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian met with OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs Robert Bradtke (U.S), Igor Popov (Russia), Jacques Faure (France) and the Personal Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk.

The extradition and pardoning of Ramil Safarov, the murderer of Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan was the only issue on the meeting agenda, as well as the negative influence that the shameful deal between Azerbaijan and Hungary is bound to have on Karabakh settlement talks.

At the meeting, the Minister stressed Azerbaijan’s grave violation of international laws and agreements as well as own obligations, while hampering OSCE Minsk Group efforts and initiatives for Karabakh conflict settlement, thus seriously threatening peace and security in the region, Armenian Foreign Ministry press service reported.

Gurgen Margaryan

On February 19, 2004, Lieutenant of the Armenian Armed Forces Gurgen Margaryan, 26, was hacked to death, while asleep, by a fellow Azerbaijani participant, lieutenant Ramil Safarov, in Budapest during a three-month English language course in the framework of Partnership for Peace NATO-sponsored program. In accordance with Budapest District Court sentence dated April 13, 2006, Ramil Safarov was life imprisoned for murdering the Armenian officer.

On February 22, 2007, Budapest Court rejected the Azerbaijani military officer's appeal against a life sentence. The appeal court ruled that the decision brought by Budapest District Court against 30-year-old Lieutenant Ramil Safarov, should stand.

On August 31, 2012, Hungary extradited Safarov back to Azerbaijan, where he was promptly pardoned by President Ilham Aliyev.