New Delhi, February 21
Italy is sending its Deputy Foreign Minister Steffan de Mistura to New Delhi tomorrow for talks with Indian officials on two Italian Naval personnel who are in the custody of the Indian authorities for the killing of two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast last Wednesday.

Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi, who yesterday blamed India for the standoff over the issue, will also be in India on February 28 on a pre-scheduled visit.

Official sources today made it clear that the two Italian personnel would be tried in Indian courts under the law of the land. “If Italy wants, we are ready to provide them the consular access to these personnel,’’ they added.

Observing that the incident was at the stage of investigation, the sources said if the prosecution feels that it should go to the court, Italy is free to present any issue of judicial nature through their legal counsel.

The sources explained the incident on high seas in which the Italian Naval personnel killed two Indian fishermen allegedly mistaking them for pirates was of a ‘sui generis’ (peculiar in its characteristics) nature and was being dealt with accordingly.

Admitting that there were differences between India and Italy over how the matter needed to be pursued, the sources were confident that the matter would not cast a shadow on the ties between the two countries. “The two countries have a multi-faceted relationship…we are willing to engage with Italy,” they said. “We are trying to come to grips with it and see how we can move about it,” sources added.

When their attention was drawn to Italy’s argument that the incident occurred in international water over which India has no jurisdiction, the sources said under Section 4 of the IPC, the crime committed on an Indian vessel could be tried under the Indian law. In this case, two India nationals have been shot dead on an Indian vessel. “We have extra territorial jurisdiction if an Indian ship is involved.” Saoid sources.