Premier Matteo Renzi on Friday
welcomed a decision by India's Supreme Court allowing Italian
marine Massimiliano Latorre to return to Italy for medical
treatment after suffering a stroke-like attack two weeks ago.
"Collaboration with Indian justice and esteem for Premier
Modi and his government," Renzi tweeted.
"We will work together on many fronts".
Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini echoed the premier's
sentiment, while adding that Italy stands firm in calling for
a "definitive solution" to the case of Latorre and fellow marine
Salvatore Girone.
India accuses them of killing two Indian fisherman during
an anti-piracy mission in February 2012, but has held them
without charge for over two years.
"The Italian government's will and determination to find a
definitive solution to this dispute remains firm," Mogherini
said.
Rome said it is poised to seek international arbitration
in the case, which began after Latorre and Girone allegedly
killed fishermen Valentine (aka Gelastine) and Ajesh Binki after
allegedly mistaking them for pirates and opening fire on their
fishing trawler while guarding the privately owned
Italian-flagged oil-tanker MT Enrica Lexie off the coast of
Kerala on February 15, 2012.
Rome has protested the many delays in the case, which has
caused major diplomatic friction between the countries. It
successfully fought to ensure New Delhi took the death penalty
off the table and dropped the application of a severe
anti-terrorism and anti-piracy law, which it said would have
equated Italy with a terrorist state.
Rome argues the case is not under India's jurisdiction as
the incident took place outside the country's territorial
waters. It also argues the marines should be exempt from
prosecution in India, because the alleged incident involved
servicemen acting in the line of duty.
Separately, the owner of the Indian boat carrying the two
fishermen who were killed had a last-minute rethink about asking
the New Delhi supreme court to order an Indian medical test for
Latorre.
The boat owner, Freddy John Bosco, was set to file the
appeal ahead of the Friday supreme court session that OK'd
Latorre's return. He changed his mind at the last minute, his
lawyers told ANSA.
Italy is sending a plane to collect Latorre, whose passport
has reportedly already been stamped with an exit visa by Indian
authorities.
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