Italy’s foreign minister has resigned amid tensions between Italy and India following an international incident that left two fishermen dead in Kerala.
Italian marines Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone are accused of murdering Selestian Valentine and Ajesh Pinky in February 2012 after allegedly mistaking them for pirates.
According to BBC News, Italy maintains that the boat sailed by the victims had “behaved aggressively and ignored warning shots from [the marines’] ship”.
The marines were excused by the court to go home to Italy for Christmas and vote in elections, upon an agreement last year between Italian ambassador Daniele Mancini and the Indian government, on condition that they returned to India for trial by 22 March.
However, Italian officials initially blocked their return, arguing that India was violating international law. In response, India ordered ambassador Mancini not to leave India until the marines return as agreed.
Rome intended to try the accused at home, saying that India had no jurisdiction over the incident because it took place on international waters.
The reaction in the Indian media was swift. “It required an appalling degree of naiveté on part of Indian institutions to let the marines go, in the fond belief that the Italians would send them back,” said the Times of India in an editorial.
In the latest twist to the saga, the Italian government last week relented to India’s demands and announced it would send the marines back for trial.
The decision prompted the resignation on 26 March of Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi, who claimed his concerns had gone “unheard” by Prime Minister Mario Monti.
In a statement to the press, Terzi said: “I am resigning because I have maintained for 40 years and I maintain more forcefully today that the honour of the country, its armed forces and the Italian diplomacy must be safeguarded. I am resigning because I support the two marines and their families.”
Whatever the outcome of the ongoing diplomatic row, relations between India and Italy are expected to suffer damage as a result of the feud.
