Italy steps up pressure for release of ‘killer’ marines

Italy is sparing no diplomatic efforts to secure the release of two of its marine guards held in India for killing two fishermen off the Kerala coast. Foreign minister Giulio Terzi said in New York during a United Nations meeting on Wednesday that he expects New Delhi will arrive at a ''quick'' solution to the issue.

The Indian government made it clear earlier this week that it would not interfere to repatriate the accused soldiers; and their trial would proceed under Indian law.

Terzi told newspersons outside the UN headquarters in New York that any conflict between countries over jurisdiction and interpretation of the law of the sea in anti-piracy and counter-terrorism operations should be addressed through ''mediation with honesty and clarity''.

He added for good measure that the issue is having "a very, very negative effect" on international efforts to combat piracy.

Terzi said the UN 'Law of the Sea' treaty is "very clear" that jurisdiction over events on the high seas belongs to the flag nation of the ship involved, in this case Italy. He added that another factor supporting Italy's jurisdiction is that the ship was part of an international anti-piracy operation authorised by the UN Security Council.

But India insists the two Italians should be tried in India because the fishermen died on an Indian boat, and various courts, including the Kerala High Court, have rejected the duo's bail applications. The fishermen were killed in cold blood by the trigger-happy guards of the oil tanker Enrica Lexie; who subsequently claimed they mistook the low-powered fishing smack for a pirate vessel.