The arrest of two Italian Navy Marines on Sunday for allegedly shooting dead two Indian fishermen who they mistook for pirates appeared to be escalating into a diplomatic row with Italy reiterating on Mond-ay that it should be allo-wed to deal with the case.
Italy has also stepped up diplomatic efforts to help the arrested men, Latorre Massimiliano and Salvatore Girone, who were on duty on board Italian merchant vessel Enrica Lexie when the incident happened last week. An Italian diplomatic team comprising officials from its foreign affairs, defence and justice ministries reached the national capital on Monday.
A statement from the Italian foreign ministry on Monday said Premier Mario Monti too is being kept abreast of the developments. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has already been briefed on the matter.
The statement said the diplomatic team’s aim is to “examine the various aspects of the case and to collaborate with the goal of establishing the truth beyond the shadow of a doubt”. It also said that as “the military is an organ of the Italian republic”...(it) enjoys immunity from prosecution by foreign governments”.
In response, sources here repeated India’s stance on the incident — that the law should be allowed to take its course now that the matter is in the Indian courts. Noting that the Indian stand was clearly enunciated by external affairs minister S.M. Krishna when Italian foreign minister Giulio Terzi spoke to him on Saturday, highly-places sources here said that there has been no change in it. The status quo, as far as India is concerned, remains. New Delhi has already rejected Rome’s demand for a joint probe.
“As things stand today, there are considerable differences of a judicial nature,” news agencies quoted Mr Terzi as saying in Rome on Monday.