Minister Resigns in Marines Dispute 03-27

Minister Resigns in Marines Dispute

By GIADA ZAMPANO and CHRISTOPHER EMSDEN

ROME—Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi resigned in the wake of a controversy over his handling of a case involving two Italian marines accused of shooting dead two Indian fishermen last year.

European Pressphoto Agency

Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi resigned Tuesday.

Mr. Terzi announced his resignation at the end of an address to Parliament on Tuesday. He said he personally opposed the Italian decision to send the two marines to New Delhi last week for prosecution.

The foreign minister was a member of a technocratic government that will be replaced as soon as a new government is formed, following general elections held last month.

The officers have been accused of murdering two Indians off the coast of southern India in early 2012, apparently mistaking them for pirates.

Indian authorities allowed the marines to return to Italy to vote in the election, on condition they return.

Rome later decided to not uphold the agreement, before reversing that decision and returning the two men.

Massimiliano Latorre, one of the marines due to face trial by a special tribunal in India, appealed to Italian politicians on Monday to resolve a situation he described as a tragedy.

Italy and India have clashed over where the trial of the two men should be held, with Italy saying the incident took place in international waters.

Mr. Terzi said India was a "great power," but he warned against nationalist tendencies there. India's foreign minister couldn't be reached to comment on Tuesday.

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