New Delhi: In what may be seen as a major diplomatic victory for the Government, two Italian marines returned to India on Friday evening to face trial for killing two Indian fishermen, off the coast of Kerala last year.
The dramatic return of the two Italian nationals- Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone- also staved off what was turning into a bitter diplomatic stand-off between the two nations.
The visiting Italian Deputy Foreign Minister, Staffan de Mistura, said that a written assurance by the Government of India that the two Italian marines won't be hanged made Rome rethink its decision of not allowing the duo to return.
Addressing a press conference, de Mistura said, "The news of death penalty became a crucial issue in Italy. Death penalty is unacceptable to us, even for foreigners convicted of crime in Italy. The government of India wrote to Rome assuring that the marines will not be sentenced to death. The guarantee was enough for the Italian government."
Hailing Italy's decision to send back the two marines to stand trial, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said diplomacy did the work and denied that any deal was stuck on their return.
The dramatic return of the two Italian nationals- Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone- also staved off what was turning into a bitter diplomatic stand-off between the two nations.
The visiting Italian Deputy Foreign Minister, Staffan de Mistura, said that a written assurance by the Government of India that the two Italian marines won't be hanged made Rome rethink its decision of not allowing the duo to return.
Addressing a press conference, de Mistura said, "The news of death penalty became a crucial issue in Italy. Death penalty is unacceptable to us, even for foreigners convicted of crime in Italy. The government of India wrote to Rome assuring that the marines will not be sentenced to death. The guarantee was enough for the Italian government."
Hailing Italy's decision to send back the two marines to stand trial, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said diplomacy did the work and denied that any deal was stuck on their return.
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