During the famous ping-pong diplomacy of the 1970s, the People’s Republic of China and the US exchanged visits by table tennis players to pave the way for improved relations between the two countries. In a slight modification of the original model, Hungary is sending an axe murderer to follow up on previous improvements in the country’s relationship with gas-rich Azerbaijan. The Hungarian government’s extradition of convicted killer Ramil Safarov to Azerbaijan – where he was immediately released and celebrated – was generally interpreted as a move intended to further bilateral relations between the two countries. It appears, however, that it is more than just a piece in the Hungarian-Azeri bilateral puzzle; it may well be a prominent step in the overall strategic reorientation of Hungarian foreign policy towards the East.

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