Author: Badalian Vardan

TURKISH POISON

Magyar Nemzet website
Sept 3 2012
Hungary

Editorial by Gabor Stier

[Translated from Hungarian]

The world press is again full of Hungary. This time the extradition
of Ramil Safarov, an Azeri officer who was given a life sentence for
brutally murdering his fellow Armenian soldier, is keeping the media
in a frenzy.

Not without a reason as, crudely and cynically disregarding its written
commitment, Azerbaijan did not only give a presidential pardon to
the murderer but it is celebrating him as a national hero and has
even promoted him. President Ilham Aliyev is talking about some kind
of early summer political agreement, which in the light of rumours
about Azerbaijan buying Hungarian government bonds is putting the
Hungarian government in a rather awkward situation. In the meantime,
Yerevan is furious and is calling upon Armenians throughout the world
to protest, and although up to now only Azeri homepages have been
hacked, it is talking about a war. Furthermore, it has broken off
diplomatic relations with Hungary which, asserting its good faith and
the legality of the procedure, is demanding an explanation from Baku,
and considers the case to be closed.

However, the row is continuing and it is to be feared that we have
fallen into our own trap. Willy-nilly, we have fallen into the middle
of an extremely acrimonious conflict, and it is no use for us to try
to pretend otherwise, this is the truth. Of course, all this is not
surprising at all because the Azeris and Armenians have been in a
war with each other for nearly 25 years and this is not much changed
by the fact that these days the weapons are rarely booming around
Nagorno-Karabakh. The situation is tense and rather loaded from a
geopolitical point of view, and the nerves are stretched to breaking
point. In this situation a spark is enough for the ardent hatred to
catch fire. In this situation no one could have been surprised – or
if they were, it is too bad – that the extradition of Safarov would
kindle those ambers. There was a good chance that Baku would use the
arrival of the officer, who is respected as a hero, to demonstratively
strengthen the national feelings, and a country that “enjoyed” the
hospitality of the Turks for 150 years should hardly be surprised
at the devious release of Safarov. That Azerbaijan undertook to have
the sentence completed? So what! The national ideal overwrites the law.

Therefore, we must not hide our heads in the sand, and must not
pretend that nothing has happened because it is to no effect that
the affair is formally clean, in the above context the extradition
raises certain moral issues. Let us not forget that, in the eyes of
the civilized world, Safarov is not a hero but a brutal murderer. In
this situation the government can be expected not to consider the case
to be closed but to provide a transparent and detailed explanation
about the circumstances of the extradition and in general about the
entire unfortunate issue. If it does not do this, it will only fuel
further guessing and malicious conjecture.

As it is, we are already not short of these. For example, we can
see with astonishment how many Armenian sympathizers have emerged
all of a sudden. People who had no idea about or were not at all
interested in the cultural and religious closeness of the Hungarian
and Armenian nations are now unfolding the flag for Yerevan. This is
no coincidence because this unfortunate case has come in handy for
everyone from Obama to the Hungarian opposition who are not interested
in the eastern opening that is to broaden Hungary’s room for manoeuvre.

The main lesson of the past few days is the fact that the world is
hypocritical, and it is driven by interests, rather than values. There
is a good chance that in the coming days we will be able to experience
on our own skin how important the power of the lobbies is, and instead
of indignation, from Washington to Brussels, we should be working
on building up an influence that at least approaches the influence
of Armenians. However, all this does not change the basic fact that
murderers belong in prison.

[Translated from Hungarian]

“WE SHOULD NOT BLAME HUNGARY”

01:33 pm | Today | Politics

Armenia’s National Assembly is convening a special session to discuss
the extradition of Azerbaijani soldier Ramil Safarov by Hungary and
his subsequent pardoning by Azerbaijan.

Artak Zakaryan, Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Foreign
Relations, lawmaker from the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK), read
out the NA statement condemning Hungary’s decision to extradite the
Azerbaijani murderer and reminding that Armenia had severed diplomatic
relations with Hungary.

“With its step, Azerbaijan again threatens the regional security,
deepens hostility towards Armenians and violates human rights
guaranteed by international documents,” he read.

Mr. Zakaryan said that during the elaboration of the document,
the authors considered the proposals of all parliamentary factions,
as well as the alternative versions proposed by them.

Vahan Hovhannisyan, head of the ARF-Dashnaktsutyun faction, suggested
making changes in the statement. In particular, he stressed that
Hungary cannot be blamed for not ensuring safety of the Armenian
officer during the murder.

“We have not blamed Hungary for eight years and today it is somewhat
artificial to raise such a question,” he said.

Artsvik Minasyan, MP of the ARF-Dashnaktsutyun, urged his fellow
colleagues to turn to the NATO since the While attending English
courses during the NATO-sponsored Partnership for PEACE program in
Hungary (2004), the Azeri army officer Ramil Safarov (35) snuck into
the bedroom of his Armenian colleague lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan
(26) and murdered him during sleep with several axe blows to the head
and neck. Safarov had struck Markaryan 16 times with an axe, almost
decapitating him. Following the murder he had walked over to another
Armenian officer’s room, hoping to commit a second murder, but had
found his door locked. Safarov was found guilty of premeditated murder,
and was sentenced to life in prison in April 2006, with possibility
of parole after 30 years.

Ruben Hakobyan, Head of the Heritage faction, said during the
working consultation he had suggested including the issue of Karabakh
independence in the text as well.

“We are not here to discuss that issue,” said Artak Zakaryan.

During the discussions, Eduard Sharmazanov, Vice-Speaker of the
Armenian Parliament, said on July 4 HHK MP Ruben Hayrapetyan submitted
a letter of resignation to the National Assembly and if he does not
withdraw his resignation within 15 days, it will be accepted.

The special session was attended by Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian,
Deputy FM Shavarsh Kocharyan and Justice Minister Hrayr Tovmasyan.

While attending English courses during the NATO-sponsored Partnership
for PEACE program in Hungary in 2004, Azeri army officer Ramil Safarov,
35, snuck into the bedroom of his Armenian colleague lieutenant Gurgen
Margaryan , 26, and murdered him during sleep with several axe blows
to the head and neck. Safarov had struck Markaryan 16 times with an
axe, almost decapitating him. Following the murder he had walked over
to another Armenian officer’s room, hoping to commit a second murder,
but had found his door locked. Safarov was found guilty of premeditated
murder, and was sentenced to life in prison by a Hungarian court in
April 2006, with possibility of parole after 30 years. On august 31,
2012, Hungary extradited Safarov to Azerbaijan where he was pardoned
on the same day by [President] Ilham Aliyev.

OSCE DECRIES AZERBAIJAN-ARMENIA TENSIONS

Associated Press
Sept 3 2012

MOSCOW (AP) – International negotiators say Azerbaijan’s pardoning
of a military officer who murdered an Armenian officer has harmed
attempts to establish peace between the countries.

Azerbaijan in turn strongly defended the move, saying the pardon
of Ramil Safarov is a consequence of Armenian occupation of a part
of Azerbaijan.

The Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and some adjacent territory
has been under the control of Armenian troops and local ethnic Armenian
forces since a 1994 cease-fire ended a six-year war that killed an
estimated 30,000 people and drove about 1 million from their homes.

Negotiators from Russia, the United States and France under the
auspices of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
have led efforts since then to find a resolution to the conflict,
but with little visible result.

The tensions rose sharply last week after Hungary repatriated Safarov,
who had been sentenced to life imprisonment for the 2004 axe murder
of Armenian Lt. Gurgen Makarian while both were in Hungary on a NATO
language-training course.

Hungary said Azerbaijan promised that Safarov would serve his sentence
in a local prison, but he received a presidential pardon hours after
returning and later was promoted from lieutenant to major.

An outraged Armenian President Serge Sarkisian broke diplomatic
relations with Hungary and said Armenia was willing to resume fighting
against Azerbaijan.

Reigniting the frozen conflict would be of serious concern to Russia,
which borders Azerbaijan and has a military base in Armenia, as well as
the West. A major pipeline through Azerbaijan transports Caspian Sea
oil to Turkey and both countries have potential strategic importance
because they border Iran.

The co-chairs of the “Minsk Group,” the troika negotiating on
Nagorno-Karabakh, met in Paris with the Armenian foreign minister on
Sunday and his Azerbaijani counterpart on Monday.

The co-chairs “expressed their deep concern and regret for the damage
the pardon and any attempts to glorify the crime have done to the
peace process and trust between the sides,” an OSCE statement said.

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov also spoke by telephone
with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns on Monday, ministry
spokesman Elman Abdullayev said.

Mamedyarov “underlined that the question of Ramil Safarov must not be
looked at outside the context of the fact of the occupation, because
it is a consequence of this Armenian aggression,” Abdullayev said.

Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandian in turn said the
“international society cannot tolerate the continuation of Azerbaijan’s
adventurist policy under the cover of the negotiations process.”

Separately from the OSCE statement, Russia’s Foreign Ministry condemned
both Hungary’s release of Safarov and Azerbaijan’s pardon of him.

“We believe that these actions of Azerbaijani as well as Hungarian
authorities contradict internationally brokered efforts, of the
OSCE’s Minsk group in particular, to ease tensions in the region,”
the ministry said.

The White House also criticized the decision to free Safarov.

During his trial in Budapest, Safarov claimed that the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict was at the root of his actions and that he killed Markarian
while the victim was sleeping after the Armenian repeatedly provoked
and ridiculed him.

—

Aida Sultanova in Baku, Azerbaijan, and Avet Demourian in Yerevan,
Armenia, contributed to this report

‘WE WILL GO TO WAR OVER AXE KILLER PARDON’

Courier Mail
Sept 4 2012
Australia

ARMENIA has warned Azerbaijan it is ready for war after it pardoned and
promoted an Azerbaijani officer who axed an Armenian soldier to death.

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev last week immediately pardoned
Ramil Safarov after he was extradited from Hungary, where he had been
serving a life sentence for the 2004 killing.

Safarov was also promoted to the rank of major, given a house and eight
years’ worth of back-pay after returning home to a hero’s welcome,
in defiance of assurances from Baku to Budapest that he would serve
out his term in Azerbaijan.

“We don’t want a war, but if we have to, we will fight and win. We are
not afraid of killers, even if they enjoy the protection of the head
of state,” Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian fumed in a statement
late on Sunday.

“They (Azerbaijanis) have been warned,” he said, calling Azerbaijan
a country where “illicit orders set free and publicly glorify every
bastard who kills people only because they are Armenians”.

Safarov hacked Armenian officer Gurgen Margarian to death at a
military academy in Budapest where the servicemen were attending
English-language courses organised by NATO.

His lawyers claimed in court that he was traumatised because some of
his relatives had been killed during Azerbaijan’s war with Armenia,
and alleged that Margarian had insulted his country.

Armenia and Azerbaijan are locked in a long-running conflict over
the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, where they fought a war in
the 1990s.

Armenia-backed separatists seized Nagorno-Karabakh from Azerbaijan
in the war that left some 30,000 people dead.

The two sides have not signed a final peace deal since the 1994
ceasefire and there are still regular firefights along the front line.

Analysts warn the frozen conflict risks slipping again into full-scale
war.

Russia, which is part of the OSCE Minsk Group that is mediating in
negotiations to find a peaceful solution to the Karabakh conflict,
expressed “deep concern” over the extradition and pardon.

Yerevan on Friday cut diplomatic ties with Hungary over the pardon,
while US President Barack Obama said he was “deeply concerned” about
the incident.

Hungary summoned Azerbaijan’s ambassador to protest at Baku’s decision
after earlier saying it had been assured Safarov would serve out
his term.

HUNGARY SENDS CONVICTED MURDERER HOME, AZERBAIJAN FREES AND PROMOTES KILLER SOLDIER, ARMENIA ENRAGED

portfolio.hu
Sept 3 2012
Hungary

Armenia severed all diplomatic ties with Hungary on Friday after
Azeri soldier Ramil Sahib Safarov, who was serving a life sentence
in Hungary for killing an Armenian soldier in Budapest in 2004, was
extradited to his home country where he was pardoned by the President.

Safarov’s release outraged Armenians who blamed Budapest for “selling”
the killer to Azerbaijan, knowing he would not be imprisoned there.

Hungary flatly refuses allegations that it had made any such deal,
claiming it had done everything according to international law.

Who was sent home and freed?

Armenia broke off diplomatic ties with Hungary after Lt. Ramil Safarov
sentenced to life in prison here for killing Armenian officer Lt.

Gurgen Markarian was sent home on Friday and, despite assurances,
immediately pardoned and freed.

Safarov was given a life sentence in 2006 by the Budapest City Court
after he confessed to killing Markarian with an axe in his sleep
in his dormitory room while both were in Hungary for a 2004 NATO
language course.

Safarov claimed he killed Markarian because he had provoked and
ridiculed him and because he wanted revenge for Azeris killed during
the 1988-1994 war between the ex-Soviet states over the disputed
mountanaious territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.

“My conscience was clouded as a result of the insults and humiliating
and provoking behavior, and I lost all control,” Safarov told the
court in April 2006.

Armenian government forces helped Nagorno-Karabakh’s separatist rebels
drive the Azeri army out of the region and several other adjacent
Azeri districts. Baku and Yerevan are still technically at war over
the region.

The sentenced murderer was welcomed home as a hero on Friday and
pardoned by Azeri president Ilham Aliyev. On Saturday he was reinstated
in the army and promoted to the rank of major.

Diplomatic ties cut off, Obama “deeply concerned”

In response to Safarov’s release, Armenian President Serge Sarkisian
said his country was cutting diplomatic ties with Hungary. Protesters
in the Armenian capital of Yerevan threw tomatoes at the building
housing Hungary’s honorary consulate and the tore down the Hungarian
flag, Hungarian state news agency MTI reported.

Sarkisian said Armenia was “halting diplomatic relations and all
official ties with Hungary.”

The White House also criticized the decision to free Safarov.

“President Obama is deeply concerned by today’s announcement that
the President of Azerbaijan has pardoned Ramil Safarov following his
return from Hungary,” said a statement from National Security Council
Spokesman Tommy Vietor.

“We are communicating to Azerbaijani authorities our disappointment
about the decision to pardon Safarov. This action is contrary
to ongoing efforts to reduce regional tensions and promote
reconciliation. The United States is also requesting an explanation
from Hungary regarding its decision to transfer Safarov to Azerbaijan.”

Hungary protests

Zsolt Németh, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, asked Vilayat Guliyev, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Hungary,
into his office on 2 September to inform Ambassador Guliyev about
the position of the Government of Hungary.

“Hungary considers it unacceptable and expresses utter disapproval at
the fact that Ramil Safarov, who was sentenced for manslaughter by
Hungarian court, received pardon from the President of Azerbaijan,”
the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Németh pointed out that the measures made by Azerbaijan are “contrary
to the relevant rules of international law and blatantly contradict
the promise officially confirmed by Azerbaijan earlier that Safarov
would continue to serve his sentence in Azerbaijan.”

“The steps taken by the Azeri party are not appropriate with respect to
the relation of mutual trust that has developed between our countries
over the past years, and which could serve to further improve our
bilateral cooperation,” he added.

The Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
handed over the following diplomatic note to the Ambassador of
Azerbaijan:

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary presents its compliments
to the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Budapest and has the
honour to communicate the following.

“The Government of Hungary was astonished to receive the news about
the decision of the Azerbaijani side granting pardon to Ramil Sahib
Safarov, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for manslaughter
in 2006.

“Hungary refuses to accept and condemns the action of Azerbaijan,
which contradicts the relevant rules of international law and sharply
contrasts the undertaking of the Azerbaijani side in this matter,
confirmed by the Deputy Minister of Justice of the Republic of
Azerbaijan in his letter XX-NBSKFO/3743/4/2012 of 15 August 2012
addressed to the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice
of Hungary.

“In this letter the Republic of Azerbaijan quoting the relevant
international Convention undertook that the sentenced person will
serve the remaining part of his prison sentence in the Republic of
Azerbaijan and may be released on conditional parole only after he
has served at least 25 years of his sentence.

“Hungary regards the decision of Azerbaijan inconsistent with the
spirit of cooperation based on mutual trust that has been achieved
during the past years between our respective countries.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary avails itself of this
opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in
Budapest the assurances of its highest considerations.”

A regular extradition case

State secretary for foreign policy and economy at the Prime Minister’s
Office Péter Szijjártó told public television MTV late on Sunday
that there is no connection between the case and a possible purchase
of Hungarian debt by Azerbaijan. He also revealed that Safarov’s case
had been raised during Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s visit to Baku
in June.

Szijjártó said Safarov’s extradition had been raised by Azerbaijan
during the PM’s June visit to Baku, but Budapest insisted that this
was “an issue of international law with clear regulations.”

“That is why we asked the Azeri party to follow the rules in
everything. We promised that Hungary will naturally also conduce a
procedure in line with international legislation if it receives an
Azeri initiative,” he added.

Szijjártó emphasised that every detail of Hungary’s actions were
in line with the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons by
the Council of Europe (1983).

Safarov’s legal representative had requested that his client spends
his sentence in Azerbaijan. Then the Justice Minister – in line with
the regulations of the extradition treaty – requested information
at Azeri authorities and learned that Safarov would have received a
life sentence for his crime also in his homeland and that Azerbaijan
would keep him in prison.

Szijjártó noted that there are 8-12 such extradition cases every year
in Hungary, adding that this is a “usual procedure of international
law; there’s nothing extraordinary in it and everything was done
accordingly in this case too.”

Oil billions and extradition: no connection

When asked about a possible connection between Safarov’s extradition
and Azerbaijan’s possible purchase of Hungarian bonds, Szijjártó
responded that there is no connection whatsoever.

On 23 August, Hungarian Weekly FigyelÅ’ claimed a foreign currency bond
issue was taking shape and might happen with Azerbaijan as a lender
before Hungary has an agreement with the EU and the IMF in place.

Azerbaijan is looking to buy Hungarian government bonds of 2 to 3
year maturity, on a scale of EUR 2 to 3 billion, the paper learned
from an Economy Ministry source.

László Borbély, deputy CEO of the Government Debt Management Agency
(Ã~AKK), argued the reason why no FX bond issue is expected before
the IMF deal is that Hungary will be in a better position to secure
finance at a lower interest rate afterwards.

Borbély told daily newspaper Magyar Nemzet last week that talks
between the two countries about a possible purchase by Azerbaijan of
up to EUR 3 billion in Hungarian bonds were only at an “exploratory
phase” for now.

“[…] a lot of people have a wild imagination, but the fact is that
a cut and dry international legal case and the economic co-operation
of two countries have no influence whatsoever on one another,”
Szijjártó said.

Secret talks?

Novruz Mammadov, head of the foreign relations department of the
Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan, told Newtimes.az in an
interview on 1 September that “steps to extradite Ramil Safarov to
Azerbaijan were taken in a completely closed environment. Secret talks
have been held under the serious control of President of Azerbaijan
for about a year.”

He noted that President Ilham Aliyev “supervised the negotiations
between the law enforcement agencies of Azerbaijan and Hungary for
a long time.”

“A crucial role in the resolution of this issue belonged to an
agreement reached during the visit of the Hungarian Prime Minister
Viktor Orban,” Mammadov was cited as saying.

COURT THROWS OUT LIBEL SUIT AGAINST NEWS.AM
Tatevik Shaljyan

hetq
15:45, September 4, 2012

Today, a Yerevan court decided to reject the suit brought by Yuri
Mnatsakanyan against the RA National Institute of Health, Vigen
Shahinyan and news.am, as a third party.

Mnatsakanyan had argued that Shahinyan~Rs words, used in a news.am
report entitled ~S40-100 Employees of the National Health Institute
are Joining the Ranks of the Unemployed~T were libellous.

Mnatsakanyan had sued for 1 million AMD in damages.

Instead, the plaintiff will have to pay 20,000 in court fees.

HISTORIC TIGRANAKERT: INCONSIDERATE PICNICKERS POLLUTE ARTSAKH SITE
Hayk Ghazaryan

hetq
16:25, September 4, 2012

Here are some unfortunate scenes taken next to the Tigranakert historic
site in Artsakh.

A cool stream runs through the site, making it a favourite summer
spot for picnickers.

Many are too lazy to take their trash with them when they leave. Such
eyesores are commonplace.

AZERBAIJAN MANIFESTS ITS CYNICAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY: EDWARD NALBANDYAN

ARMENPRESS
4 September, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, SEPTMBER 4, ARMENPRESS: Foreign Affair Minister of
the Republic of Armenia Edward Nalbandyan visited Yerevan State
University on September 4, where the top diplomat delivered a speech
in the faculty of international relationship in accordance with
the established tradition. YSU and faculty management jointly with
professors’ staff was present at the launched meeting.

As information and public relations department of the Ministry told
Armenpress, the Minister congratulated the first-year students on
the occasion of entering one of the prestigious faculties of YSU and
stated. ” It is fact that the majority of Armenian diplomats has been
graduated from this faculty. It is gratifying that a vast number of
students choose the profession of diplomat, enters Diplomacy school
and fills the Foreign Ministries ranks”.

In the course of the meeting Nalbandyan dwelled on Armenia’s approaches
concerning a number of regional and international issues.

Speaking about Hungarian-Azerbaijani deal resulted in the extradition
of Azerbaijani killer Foreign Minister noted. “Azerbaijani was
intensively stepping up efforts for extradition of the killer
started 2004. Yet Hunagrain Government was categorically rejecting
all attempts.This step by Azerbaijani authorities drew international
society into shock. It is is a kind of cynical attitude directed to
the international society. The tolerance of similar cases paves the
way for Saddam Hussein like people” Minister underscored .

THE SITUATION OF WOUNDED DAMASCUS ARMENIANS IS BETTER

ARMENPRESS
4 September, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS: The situation of our three
compatriots residing in Damascus Jaramana district fortunately gets
better. As Damascus Armenian community representative told Armenpress,
our compatriots were not seriously injured and are already discharged
from the hospital.

The situation in Damascus is quiet on the whole ; the shooting sounds
have relatively decreased. Earlier Syrian SANA agency informed
Jaramana suburb shelling resulted in the death of five people,
23 were wounded. As it was found out further on Armenian Lusaber
Yakubyan was among the victims. In the words of Aleppo Berio National
Primacy press secretary Jirayr Reisyan the situation in Aleppo during
September 3 and 4 is a bit quiet, definitely the prevailing silence
cannot guarantee anything.

According to Reisyan shelling voices are heard in the suburds, rarely
in central parts of the city. Shootings are often heard in Armenian
populated Nor Gyugh Midan district and Armenian nursing house due
to closeness to the border. Aleppo based facebook users posted there
are no changes pertain to the situation, they are longing for the end
sitting in their lodgings.The clashes between Syrian Government troops
and rebel forces resulted in the death of over one dozen people death,
two of whom Syrian Army servicemen.

ROBERT KOCHARYAN: RECOGNITION OF THE NAGORNO KARABAKH REPUBLIC WOULD BE THE BEST ANSWER OF HUNGARY

armradio.am
04.09.2012 16:07

The Office of the second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan issued
a statement today in connection with the extradition and pardon of
Ramil Safarov.

“The actions of Azerbaijani authorities are not surprising. This is a
hasty manifestation of anti- Armenian policy that country has long been
cherishing. Let’s remember Sumgait, the Armenian massacres in Baku and
the “alley of martyrs” perpetuating the memory of pogrom-makers. The
conviction that NKR cannot exist within the composition of Azerbaijan
or in any other way has shaped the invariable position of the Armenian
side in Karabakh peace talks.

People in Azerbaijan are so deeply absorbed in hatred against Armenians
that they have already forgotten about the limits of morals.

The decree on granting pardon to a killer is the best evidence of
all arguments of the people of Karabakh in favor of independence.

If the reaction of the Hungarian side shows that Azerbaijan has indeed
deceived official Budapest and there was no deal, then the best answer
of Hungary would be the recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic,”
the statement reads.