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3/19/13

Italy and India diplomatic row escalates

Italy has accused India of violating laws on diplomatic immunity by preventing its ambassador from leaving the country,  in an escalating dispute over two marines who skipped bail while on trial for murder in New Delhi.

Chief Justice Altamas Kabir, India's top judge, said on Monday that Italy's ambassador Daniele Mancini had forfeited his diplomatic immunity over his role in securing the release of the pair who were accused of killing two Indian fishermen.

However, the foreign ministry in Rome said India was breaking diplomatic conventions by ordering the envoy to stay in the country until the next hearing of the case on April 2.

"The Supreme Court's decision to prevent our ambassador from leaving the country without the court's permission is a clear violation of the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations," it said in a statement released on Monday. "Italy continues to believe that the case of its two marines should be resolved according to international law," it said, adding that it "wants to keep friendly relations" with India.

Read more: Italy and India diplomatic row escalates - Central & South Asia - Al Jazeera English

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