Another tough clash between Italy and India on the marine case. The two soldiers "have not yet been indicted for any crime" by Indian justice, which demonstrates that it "despises due process" considering them already guilty with "an attitude that best exemplifies the impasse we find ourselves in today", thunders today the Italian ambassador to the Hague Francesco Azzarello. New Delhi replies by defining Italy's behavior as "in bad faith", for "not having kept solemn promises" in the past.
The question and answer comes in an official and perhaps decisive context. The case of the two Navy riflemen Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, accused of the murder of two Kerala fishermen during an anti-piracy activity aboard the merchant vessel Enrica Lexie, arrives today for the first time in an international courtroom. The first hearing of the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea (Itlos) will take place in Hamburg, following Italy's request for the opening of an international arbitration proceeding. The discussion will also continue tomorrow.
Italy's Requests for interim measures state that Girone is a "hostage" of India, while Latorre's health is "at risk, if he were forced to return": for these reasons, Delhi "violates the fundamental rights" of marò and Italy. The Indians respond by arguing that "defining Girone as a hostage is inappropriate and offensive", because in Delhi "he enjoys a comfortable life" and "Latorre's health could improve in the coming months", allowing him to return to India.
India has shown itself to be "aggressive", but we "are extremely determined to assert our reasons", Azzarello, who leads the Italian delegation before the court, said in an interview with Ansa: "Italy and the India are traditionally friendly countries", underlined the ambassador, "but the incident of 15 February 2012 unfortunately gave rise to a complex, difficult and extremely delicate legal dispute. Already in the observations submitted to the court last Thursday, the Indian delegation has shown particular aggressiveness".
For its part, India opposes it, claiming that "the territoriality of the crime committed" (20,5 miles of the coast in "adjacent waters") and contesting Italy's recourse to the international arbitration procedure. The Court's decision will not arrive before two to three weeks, but in the meantime a tough battle is expected in terms of law.
