NATO officials on 20 February issued a strong condemnation of the slaying by an Azerbaijani serviceman of an Armenian military officer attending a NATO training course in Hungary, RFE/RL\'s Yerevan bureau reported. Characterizing the incident as a \"clear criminal act,\" the NATO statement added that it hopes the \"tragic incident\" will not affect Armenia\'s \"strong participation\" in NATO\'s Partnership for Peace program. Although the official Azerbaijani response to the killing expressed \"regret\" at the death of Lieutenant Gurgen Markarian, it nevertheless blamed the victim for provoking the incident. The assailant, Lieutenant Ramil Safarov, also attempted to attack a second Armenian officer, but was repulsed by Lithuanian Army Major Saulius Paliulis. (RFE/RL)