NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today warned Italy of “consequences” for bilateral ties if it did not send back two marines facing trial in the country in the
In a strongly-worded statement in both Houses of Parliament, where government came under attack on the issue, Singh accused Italy of “violating every rule of diplomatic discourse” and termed as “unacceptable” its decision not to send back the accused marines Massimiliano Lattore and Salvatore Girone.killing of two Indian fishermen even as the diplomatic stand-off showed no signs of easing.
The two marines were permitted by the Supreme Court on February 22 to go to Italy for four weeks to cast their votes in general elections following a written assurance by Italian Ambassador Daniele Mancini that they will return by March 22. There are also demands that the Ambassador be expelled from the country.
Urging the Italian authorities to respect the undertaking given to the Supreme Court, Singh said they should return the two accused to stand trial here.
“If they do not keep their word there will be consequences for our relations with Italy,” Singh said firmly, adding that bilateral relationship has to function on the basis of trust.
While the Prime Minister promised that the government will pursue through diplomatic channels the efforts to bring the marines back to India, Mancini insisted his country has not gone back on its assurance to the Supreme Court.
The Ambassador, however, argued that Italy was not going back on the assurance.
“No. No, we are not retracting (on the assurance). We are working with the Indian government. You cannot consider the affidavit separate from all the other…, from the suggestions, proposals and ideas that we have been passing to the Indian interlocutors. This is a part of the process.”
Asked if the Italian Ambassador will be given marching orders in view of breach of assurance by him, Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai said,” I think we have made our position very clear….We are awaiting their response. As soon as the response is received, we will take a decision on what to do.”
The two marines are charged with homicide for killing two fishermen off the Kerala coast in February last year in an anti-piracy operation. . Mancini also said Italy wants to resolve the marines issue by “consensual” means and that it had even put a number of proposals, some of them in the last few days.
“For us the supremacy of the international law needs to be reassessed. In these very months and these few weeks and in last few days we put a number of proposals to the Indian authorities to solve this case by consensual means. This is what we still want to be doing,” he told reporters.
Describing the current standoff as “difficult moments” for the two countries, Mancini said he will not shy away from finding a solution.
Noting that the apex court on January 18 has denied Italian jurisdiction on the case and invited both countries to engage in a common effort based upon Article 100 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, Italian government sources said, “Italy has stated its readiness to start negotiations on such basis.
“Since there has been no reaction from the India in this regard we have come to the conclusion that it is appropriate to solve the legal dispute according to the international law.
“The Note Verbale sent by our Embassy in New Delhi to the Ministry on March 11 is intended to give the opportunity to settle the dispute through the consensual means offered to the parties by the international law with the aim of defining a legally sound solution to the case” while maintaining that it was consistent with Italy’s position.
“Italy did everything we could to find an acceptable solution to such case, within the framework of our strong and friendly relations with India, and Italy will continue to do so. Legal proceedings against the two Marines are still under way before the Court of Rome,” they said.
The Indian Supreme Court had on February 22 said the marines are only allowed to travel to Italy and remain there and will have to return to India before the expiry of the four-week deadline.
The two marines were on board the Italian vessel ‘Enrica Lexie’, when they had allegedly shot dead the two fishermen on February 15, last year.
Refusing the return of the marines, the Italian Foreign Ministry, earlier this week accused Indian authorities of violating international rights by detaining the marines and said it was “open” to let an international arbitrator to assess the case. -PTI
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