Azernews.Az

Hungary's Foreign Ministry has labeled as absurd the information on the suspension of diplomatic relations with Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani ambassador to Hungary told Trend news agency, commenting on Armenian media reports to that end.

Vilayat Guliyev said he has met with Hungary's director of the Department of Foreign Affairs on Eastern Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia, Erne Keshneni, who termed the reports as absurd.

A Hungarian Foreign Ministry spokesman said that Budapest intends to develop further relations with all countries, including Azerbaijan and Armenia, if Yerevan restores the diplomatic relations.

Hungary is considering suspension of its relations with Azerbaijan, Armenian media claimed Wednesday, citing a source in the OSCE secretariat in Vienna. According to the source, the issue was supposedly discussed Tuesday at a formal dinner with a member of the Hungarian mission to the OSCE and a US diplomat and is regarded as one of the ways out of a difficult foreign policy situation which Hungary allegedly faces after the extradition of Azerbaijani military officer Ramil Safarov to Azerbaijan.

Safarov, 35, who participated in NATO exercises in 2004 in Hungary, was charged with the murder of the Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan, who insulted the Azerbaijani flag, and was handed down a life sentence. Safarov returned to Azerbaijan last Friday and on the same day he was pardoned by President Ilham Aliyev.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan announced that Armenia had suspended diplomatic relations and official contacts with Hungary immediately after the release of the Azerbaijani officer.

Guliyev said that two days ago, he met with State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and External Relations Peter Szijjarto, who said that the matter is now closed for Budapest and on Tuesday Prime Minister Viktor Orban also said that the issue of Safarov's extradition was resolved in accordance with international standards and transparently.

"There are various rumors and reports on the Safarov issue and Hungary's consideration of suspension of diplomatic relations with Azerbaijan is one of them," the ambassador said.

"The two countries continue to cooperate and we intend to continue to develop our relationship. There are plans to hold the next meeting of the intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation and the governments of both countries are preparing for this meeting," Guliyev said.