In response to news published today by an Indian newspaper concerning the Italian Marines Latorre and Girone, the Italian Foreign Ministry has confirmed that on June 26th 2015, the Italian government initiated international arbitration within the framework of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. As known, in August the Hamburg-based International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea ordered the suspension of both national jurisdictions in the case involving the Italian Marines.
Later stages in this international process concern the discussion over coming weeks of temporary measures on the basis of which, on December 12th, 2015, Italy presented a request to the Arbitration Tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, asking the recently formed Arbitration Tribunal to authorise Marine Sergeant Girone to return to Italy and to remain there throughout the duration of proceedings before the Annex VII arbitral Tribunal.
Consequently, Italy will continue to take legal action in the Court of Arbitration.
