Accused Italian marines not to return from Italy

Rome, March 11: The two Italian naval guards accused of shooting two Indian fishermen dead while on anti-piracy patrolling in February last year will not return for trial from a special home visit which was allowed to enable them to vote in the general election in their own country. The Italian foreign ministry informed this on Monday.

The two marines shot the two Indian fishermen after mistaking them for pirates off Kerala.

The ministry added that New Delhi did not respond to Rome's requests to seek a diplomatic solution to the case and the two countries witnessed a formal dispute between them over the terms of the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea of 1982.

Italy claimed the incident occurred in international waters and has been trying to get the two marines tried in Italian courts, while India contends the shooting occurred in its own territory.

It was because of this that Rome formally confirmed to New Delhi, with a note verbale given by Ambassador Mancini, its willingness to reach an agreement on a solution of the dispute through the process of international arbitration or judicial settlement.

Rome said given the formal establishment of an international dispute between the two countries, the duo, Marina Maximilian Latorre and Savior Pool will not return to India at the end of the permission granted to them.
The Indian Embassy in Rome was intimated about the decision, which was taken in consultation with the defence and justice ministries in coordination with the office of the prime ministers.

The ministry of external affairs later confirmed that it had received the intimation.

OneIndia News

(with agency inputs)