Economy 3 September 2012, 1:37pm

Brussels is also "concerned" about Azeri-Hungarian dispute over freed murderer

Portfolio

The release of a convicted Azerbaijani murderer was raised as an issue at the European Commission’s daily press briefing on Monday. Maja Kocijancic, spokesperson for the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said - answering a question - that they are already in contact with the relevant governments, including Hungary to exchange information on the case. She noted that Brussels is “concerned" by the news that Hungary extradited a convicted murderer to Azerbaijan who was pardoned by the President there, enraging Armenia, the nation which is in a long-standing conflict with Azerbaijan and whose army officer was murdered by the freed convict with an axe in Hungary in 2004.

“We are concerned by the news [...] that the President of Azerbaijan pardoned an Azerbaijani army officer Ramil Safarov who was convicted and sentenced for life imprisonment for the murder of an Armanian army officer in 2004," Kocijancic told the press briefing.

She said they are “closely following the situation and are in contact with the relevant sides to obtain more information."

“We are particularly concerned about the possible impact that these developments might have on the wider region and therefore we are calling Azerbaijan and Armenia to exercise restraint on the ground and in public statements in order to prevent any kind of escalation of the situation."

She confirmed that the EC is in touch also with Hungarian authorities to exchange information.