Marines case: Italy recalls its Ambassador to India

NEW DELHI: Italy today recalled its Ambassador to India, ostensibly for discussions, following the Indian Supreme Court’s order dismissing the plea by an Italian marine facing murder charges to stay in Italy for four more months to undergo medical treatment.

The Italian foreign ministry has claimed that the rights of the marines have been violated.

The Supreme Court’s decision has apparently angered Italian President Giorgio Napolitano.

The marine, Massimiliano Latorre, who suffered a stroke in August, is one of two Italian marines accused over the 2012 shooting of two fishermen mistakenly believed to be pirates, in a case that has soured ties between New Delhi and Rome.

The Supreme Court had allowed Latorre, 47, to return to Italy in September for four months of medical treatment. He sought to double that extension in his latest plea to undergo treatment that includes heart bypass surgery.

"The plea of the accused is dismissed," Chief Justice of India H L Dattu said.

He also dismissed a separate plea by the second Italian marine accused in the case, Salvatore Girone, to return to Italy for Christmas.

The Italian President said he was "very irritated by the news from New Delhi", according to a statement from his office.

Following international pressure, India dropped a plan to prosecute the marines under a tough new anti-piracy law. Italy says the incident occurred in international waters and that jurisdiction over the marines should lie with Rome.

In April 2012, Rome paid $190,000 to each of the victims' families as compensation. In return, the families dropped their cases against the marines, but the state's case has yet to come to trial.

EU warns SC order may hurt ties

The European Union's new foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini expressed her disappointment over the Indian Supreme Court's decision on the case of two Italian marines and warned that the issue could impact on EU-India relations.

"The decision to deny the plea of Massimiliano Latorre for an extension of his stay in Italy for medical treatment and to refuse Salvatore Girone permission to spend the Christmas period at home is disappointing, as a long awaited mutually agreed solution has not yet proved possible," said Mogherini, a former Italian foreign minister, in a statement late Tuesday night.

"The situation of these two European military personnel has been pending for almost three years now. The EU has consistently called for a mutually agreeable solution, in the interest of both Italy and India, based on international law. The issue has the potential to impact the overall European Union-India relations and has also a bearing on the global fight against piracy, to which the EU is strongly committed," she stated.

The EU will continue to follow closely the issue, is in touch with the Italian government and reiterates its call for a swift solution, added the statement. (With inputs from Reuters and ANI)