On the instructions of Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi, the Indian Ambassador to Rome, Debabrata Saha, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs this morning by the Director General with responsibility for Asian Affairs, Ambassador Giandomenico Magliano. The Deputy Chef du Cabinet, Minister Plenipotentiary Andrea Tiriticco, was also present. The unacceptable nature of the judicial developments regarding the Italian servicemen, Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, especially as regards the charges against them, was firmly impressed upon the Ambassador.
The Italian diplomats reiterated that the two servicemen are agents of the Italian state engaged in counter-piracy operations and as such enjoy immunity. Moreover, international law clearly gives Italy jurisdiction since the Italian ship, the Enrica Lexie, was in international waters. The Italian Government’s calls for the case to be referred to the Federal Supreme Court in New Delhi, where the rulings on jurisdiction and on functional immunity are pending, were also reiterated.
