Italian PM calls up Manmohan Singh, even as NIA drops death charge on marines

manmohan singh

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today told his Italian counterpart Mario Monti that a view on specific aspects of the case involving two marines facing murder charges in the country cannot be taken pending investigations.  However, Singh, who received a call from Monti, recalled the clarification given by the Ministry of External Affairs to Italy prior to the return of the marines to India last month.  The telephone call by Italian Prime Minister came amid concerns in Italy over the slapping of murder charges against the marines which entails death penalty.  “Prime Minister Singh received a telephone call this evening from Italian Prime Minister. During the course of the call, the issue of Italian marines in India was discussed,” official sources said.  The sources said Prime Minister Singh appreciated the Italian government’s decision to send the marines back to India in line with the commitments that had been made before the Indian Supreme Court and in order to enable the judicial process to move forward.  Singh also recalled the recent conversation between the External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid and the Deputy Foreign Minister of Italy, Staffan de Mistura and mentioned that the process of setting up a special court is at a fairly advanced stage and the Attorney General would provide further details in this regard during the next hearing in the Supreme Court on April 16….

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