By IANS,
New Delhi : India Tuesday conveyed to Italy “in the strongest terms” that it was obliged to ensure the return of the two marines facing trial in India for murder.
Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai said after meeting Italian ambassador Daniele Mancini at South Block: “Italy is obliged to ensure that the marines return to India in the time frame given by the Supreme Court.”
The Italian envoy refused to speak to the media.
The Supreme Court in February allowed Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, accused of killing two Indian fishermen off Kerala, to fly to Italy to vote in the Feb 24-25 national election.
The apex court was given an undertaking that the marines will return in four weeks to face legal proceedings in India.
The Italian embassy Monday informed New Delhi that the marines would not return to India.
The marines on board Italian ship Enrica Lexie allegedly shot dead the two fishermen in February last year, mistaking them for pirates.
The Indian government said “that it does not agree with the position conveyed by the Italian government on the return of the Marines to India.
“The Italian ambassador was summoned by the foreign secretary and India’s position was conveyed to him in the strongest of terms.
“It was conveyed to him that India expects Italy as a country that is committed to the rule of law to fulfil the sovereign undertaking given by it to the Supreme Court of India.
“It was only following this undertaking that the Supreme Court allowed the Marines to travel to and remain in Italy for four weeks and return to India under the care, supervision and control of the Italian Republic.
“It was conveyed to the Italian ambassador that the Italian government was obliged to ensure their return to India within the stipulated period.”