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Washington is in touch with authorities Armenia and Azerbaijan regarding extradition and pardoning Azerbaijani killer Safarov

Washington is in touch with authorities Armenia and Azerbaijan regarding extradition and pardoning Azerbaijani killer Safarov

7 September 2012

 The U.S. Department of State has maintained contacts with the authorities of Azerbaijan in connection with pardoning and promoting the Azerbaijani officer Ramil Safarov from Hungary, Patrick Ventrell, Acting Deputy Spokesperson, said at Daily Press Briefing in Washington. 

"Well, we most definitely have been in touch with authorities. I'd have to check in after the briefing to see at what level. But our statements expressed our deep concern in this regard, and so we've definitely been in touch through bilateral communication through
those channels. But let me see if we can get you a little bit more information," he said.

Vintrell said that they are going to continue to maintain contacts with both Armenia and Azerbaijan to peacefully resolve the conflict
and reduce tensions. "And we really condemn any action that fuels regional tensions, and that's why we were so deeply disappointed by
Hungary's decision to transfer him to Azerbaijan.

We're definitely in touch with Armenia, obviously through our Embassy, but also through other channels," he said.

To recall, on August 31 the Armenian authorities adopted a decision to suspend diplomatic relations and official contacts with Hungary
after the Hungarian authorities extradited Azeri officer Ramil Safarov, who was sentenced by a Hungarian court to life in jail for
killing sleeping Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan with an axe in Budapest in 2004.  Both the officers were undergoing an English
language course under the NATO PfP program. The same day after Safarov's extradition, Azeri President Ilham Aliyev decreed to pardon
and reward the criminal.

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