Italian marine Salvatore Girone
will be able to return to Italy while his case is subject to an
arbitration procedure, the Hague tribunal that is dealing with
the case has decided, upholding a request from Italy, ANSA
sources said on Monday.
The ruling will be made public on Tuesday, the sources
said, but the foreign ministry in Rome confirmed the news.
The tribunal has called on both sides to agree on the
procedure for the marine's return.
Girone and fellow marine Massimiliano Latorre are accused
by India of killing two Indian fisherman in 2012 during an
anti-piracy mission.
Premier Matteo Renzi said that he had spoken to Girone
after the "extraordinary news".
But he also stressed that he was sending a message of
"friendship and cooperation to the great people of India and to
the Indian prime minister (Narendra Modi)".
"We are always ready to cooperate," Renzi added in
Florence.
The case is at the centre of a long diplomatic dispute
between Rome and New Delhi.
Italy argues the marines should have immunity as they were
servicemen working on a mission and that India does not have
jurisdiction as the incident took place outside its territorial
waters.
Italy took the case to international tribunal after
repeated delays in the handling of the case in India.
New Delhi allowed Latorre to return to Italy for treatment
after he had a stroke in 2014.
"If the news is true, I'm incredibly happy," Girone's
father Michele told ANSA.
"Now I'll have to speak to my son and daughter-in-law to
see whether it's true".
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