Italy says UN court ordered bail for Italian marine (Third Lead)

Italy on Monday said a UN court has ordered that Italian marine Salvatore Girone, detained in India for the alleged 2012 killings of two fishermen, be allowed home on bail while arbitration proceedings in The Hague continue in the case that has soured ties between the two countries.

But Indian government sources rejected the Italian foreign ministry's claim, alleging that Rome was misinterpreting the ruling that "neither releases nor frees any marine (but) only recommends further relaxation of his bail conditions".

According to the foreign ministry in Rome, the tribunal decided Girone be allowed to go "back to Italy until the end of the arbitration proceedings" which will decide on the Italian government's plea that it is their jurisdiction and not that of India to proceed against the accused.

"The return of the conditions will be agreed between Italy and India," the ministry said.

Girone and fellow Italian marine Massimiliano Latorre on board oil tanker Enrica Lexie allegedly shot dead two fishermen off the Kerala coast during an anti-piracy mission in February 2012, reportedly mistaking them for pirates. While Latorre is already back home on health grounds, Italy has been seeking the return of Girone also.

But India has refused to let Girone, who is housed in the Italian embassy premises in New Delhi, to leave the country.

The case has triggered a diplomatic row between India and Italy even as the two countries last year agreed to move to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague and abide by its decisions.

Italy argues that the marines should have immunity as they were servicemen working on a mission and that India does not have jurisdiction as the incident took place outside its territorial waters.

The Italian foreign ministry said the ruling, which is expected to be officially announced on Tuesday in The Hague, comes after "a constructive attitude of India".

The court, according to the ministry, has asked both Italian and Indian governments to agree on the date and modalities of Girone's return home.

But official sources in New Delhi said Girone was already out on bail.

Citing the court order, they said the arbitral tribunal clearly recognised that "Girone is under India's authority alone" and that "the Supreme Court of India exercises jurisdiction" over him.

"(The) tribunal order, therefore, asks India and Italy to approach the Supreme Court of India for relaxation of the bail conditions (of Girone) under strict conditions to be laid down by the Indian Supreme Court," a government source said.

The sources said the tribunal has suggested that the UN court has allowed further relaxations of bail for Girone with riders, which include that he "reports to an authority in Italy designated by the Supreme Court of India".

"Girone shall be required by Italy to surrender his passport and shall be prohibited from leaving Italy unless the Supreme Court of India grants him leave to travel," the source said, quoting the tribunal order.

Italy took the case to the international tribunal after repeated delays in the handling of the case in India. New Delhi allowed Latorre to return to Italy for treatment after he had a stroke in 2014.

--IANS

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