In a major diplomatic stand-off between India and Italy, the latter refused to send back their two marines who are being tried in India for the murder of two fishermen in Kerala inviting strong reactions from India. Not only was Italian ambassador to India, Daniele Mancini, summoned by Indian Foreign Secretary, Ranjan Mathai, on Tuesday, the message was sent across that the duo should return to India.
The marines were allowed to go to Italy by the Supreme Court to celebrate Christmas and vote in elections on the condition that they will come back for the trial. However, decision taken by the Italian authorities has left India red-faced and betrayed. Mathai said that Italy is obliged to ensure that the two marines return in the time frame given by (India’s) Supreme Court (till 22 March). ‘He (Italian Ambassador) simply took note of the position conveyed to him that the message we have received from his embassy was not acceptable and he said he would convey that to his government and authority in Rome,’ Mathai added.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the issue will be taken up with that country so that the accused soldiers could be brought back to face trial here. Left MPs, who met the Prime Minister, said Singh told them that Italy’s decision was ‘unacceptable’. Besides, opposition MPs held up proceedings in parliament demanding that the government should explain how it would respond. The BJP slammed the UPA government on the issue. Senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde said that the party will raise the issue in Parliament on Wednesday.
Union external affairs minister Salman Khurshid, meanwhile, said: ‘We will study and take a rightful position... We will take a informed position.’
A statement from the ministry stated, ‘The Government of India states firmly that it doesn’t agree with the position conveyed by the Italian government on the return of the two marines to India … It was conveyed to Italian Ambassador that India expects Republic of Italy as a country that is committed to the rule of law to fulfil the sovereign undertaking given by it to the Supreme Court of India.’
MEA had received a note verbale from the Embassy of Italy in New Delhi late in the evening of 11 March 2013 regarding the SC decision of 18 January 2013 on the Italian Marines issue. ‘Their note conveyed that Italy deems that there is an existing controversy with India concerning the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Seas of 1992 and the general principles of international law applicable to the Enrica Lexie incident.’ By the note verbale dated 11 March 2013, Italy informed that ‘since a controversy between the two States has been established, the two Italian Marines, Mr Latorre and Mr Girone, will not return to India on the expiration of the permission granted to them’. ‘They requested the Indian government to set up a meeting at diplomatic level in order to reach an amicable solution of the said controversy. A request had earlier been received in this regard on 6 March, 2013. The request is under examination,’ MEA added.
Meanwhile, senior advocate Harish Salve, who had earlier appeared for the Republic of Italy in the Supreme Court on behalf of the two marines said he would not defend his clients now.
The marines were allowed to go to Italy by the Supreme Court to celebrate Christmas and vote in elections on the condition that they will come back for the trial. However, decision taken by the Italian authorities has left India red-faced and betrayed. Mathai said that Italy is obliged to ensure that the two marines return in the time frame given by (India’s) Supreme Court (till 22 March). ‘He (Italian Ambassador) simply took note of the position conveyed to him that the message we have received from his embassy was not acceptable and he said he would convey that to his government and authority in Rome,’ Mathai added.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the issue will be taken up with that country so that the accused soldiers could be brought back to face trial here. Left MPs, who met the Prime Minister, said Singh told them that Italy’s decision was ‘unacceptable’. Besides, opposition MPs held up proceedings in parliament demanding that the government should explain how it would respond. The BJP slammed the UPA government on the issue. Senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde said that the party will raise the issue in Parliament on Wednesday.
Union external affairs minister Salman Khurshid, meanwhile, said: ‘We will study and take a rightful position... We will take a informed position.’
A statement from the ministry stated, ‘The Government of India states firmly that it doesn’t agree with the position conveyed by the Italian government on the return of the two marines to India … It was conveyed to Italian Ambassador that India expects Republic of Italy as a country that is committed to the rule of law to fulfil the sovereign undertaking given by it to the Supreme Court of India.’
MEA had received a note verbale from the Embassy of Italy in New Delhi late in the evening of 11 March 2013 regarding the SC decision of 18 January 2013 on the Italian Marines issue. ‘Their note conveyed that Italy deems that there is an existing controversy with India concerning the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Seas of 1992 and the general principles of international law applicable to the Enrica Lexie incident.’ By the note verbale dated 11 March 2013, Italy informed that ‘since a controversy between the two States has been established, the two Italian Marines, Mr Latorre and Mr Girone, will not return to India on the expiration of the permission granted to them’. ‘They requested the Indian government to set up a meeting at diplomatic level in order to reach an amicable solution of the said controversy. A request had earlier been received in this regard on 6 March, 2013. The request is under examination,’ MEA added.
Meanwhile, senior advocate Harish Salve, who had earlier appeared for the Republic of Italy in the Supreme Court on behalf of the two marines said he would not defend his clients now.