Italy said two marines on trial for murder in India would return to the country by Friday, after earlier creating a diplomatic furore by saying they would remain in Italy .
The two, Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, had been granted a special leave last month by the Supreme Court to return to Italy to vote in elections but had skipped bail.
Italy said on Thursday it had received “ample assurances” from Indian authorities “on the treatment that the marines will receive and the defence of their fundamental rights”.
TV reports said the return was conditional on the two not being given the death sentence. “The government decided, also in the interests of the marines, to maintain the commitment taken when they were granted leave to take part in the elections to return to India by March 22,” the Italian government said. “The marines agreed to this decision,” it added.
PM Mario Monti met with defence minister Giampaolo Di Paola and Steffan de Mistura, a junior foreign minister who has taken a lead on the case, to discuss the issue on Thursday.
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