Azerbaijan bears a huge responsibility for having in fact ''betrayed'' a member of the EU: Frank Engel

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, ARMENPRESS: Azerbaijan bears a huge responsibility for having in fact probably ''betrayed'' a member of the EU country. Honorary Consul of Armenia to Luxembourg Frank Engel stated this in an exclusive interview to ''Armenpress''. He said that it is unacceptable that Azerbaijan first assured Hungarian authorities that they would keep Safarov imprisoned, not glorified, but in fact, they did just the contrary. At the interview he spoke about Savorov's case and the perspective of taking the negotiation procedure out from the deadlock. Engel stated: "I myself could hardly believe that Budapest could be so naïve and trust promises given by Azerbaijan. For eight years, the Azerbaijani government was trying to get Safarov extradited and every Hungarian government rejected the request, knowing what could happen. Then suddenly they were reassured enough by a vice-minister's signature on a piece of paper, which indeed did not say very much about Safarov and whether he would not be freed or glorified."

Frank Engel said that he is very anxious that some agreements served as a basis for that decision. The MEP also mentioned the following: "I have also read that some billions have been promised from one side to another. We will find it out if it happens to be the truth; should it indeed be so, I will be less than happy." He also noted that Hungary has striven and still strives to have the best possible relations with Armenia.

Engel also did not hide his concern with the fact that some parliamentarians see material benefit for them or their colleagues from the Azerbaijani side. He stated: "My concern, which goes to Azerbaijan, is that quite a few parliamentarians either themselves or their respective life partners appear to have material interests on the Azeri side. I know no MEP having material interests on the Armenian side. Moreover, it has been rumored that a number of people are involved in Azeri oil trade. You cannot forbid that, it is not illegal. But at least it could be said that if you have interests of such peculiar nature you might refrain from the heaviest possible involvement in things Caucasian. My impression is that on the Azeri side, there is a particularly significant presence in the EP now. But if they get meeting rooms and organize presentations, distortion of history included, then there is little we can do about it."

He underlined the negative effects of these all on the regulation of the Nagorno Karabakh impact. He said that he certainly does not see any big breakthrough in the next 6 months or year. Especially military rhetoric of the Azerbaijani side will not encourage the regulation of the impact as well.