Armenian foreign minister meets OSCE MG co-chairs

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian has met co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group Robert Bradtke (USA), Igor Popov (Russia) and Jacques Faure (France) and personal representative of the OSCE chairman Andrzej Kasprzyk, RIA Novosti reports.

Armenia expressed outrage over extradition of Azerbaijani officer Ramil Safarov convicted for life in Hungary on Friday. The officer was pardoned by the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and released.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said that halted all relations with Hungary. Nalbandian accused Azerbaijan of violating international obligations and ruining efforts of the OSCE MG to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Hungarian State Secretary of the Foreign Ministry Zsolt Nemeth handed a protest note to Azerbaijani ambassador in Budapest. Hungary calls pardoning of the officer unacceptable, Safarov could only request pardoning after 25 years of conviction.

Armenian Lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan was studying English within the Partnership for Peace program of NATO in Budapest. Azerbaijani officer Ramil Safarov butchered him during sleep in February 2004. Safarov was sentenced for life in April 2006 with no right for pardoning for 30 years.