Mistura meets Chandy

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Italian Deputy Foreign Minister  Staffan de Mistura met the Chief Minister on Monday seeking to shift the Italian marines accused in the killing of Indian fishermen from the central prison to a guest house. Meeting the Chief Minister along with a group of Italian mediapersons, Mistura pointed out that as the Italian marines had not been sentenced, it would not be fair to lodge them in prison.He also sought permission for mediapersons accompanying him to meet the marines in jail.However, the Chief Minister told the Italian Minister that as the case was pending before the court, he could not intervene in the issue.Later, speaking to mediapersons, he said that in both the cases, killing of fishermen by Italian Marines and in the accident involving the fishing boat and the Indian ship, the government had effectively intervened.The Chief Minister congratulated the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard for taking effective steps in bringing the ship involved in the accident to Kochi and in helping arrest the accused.He said that the Italian Minister had expressed happiness over the impartial probe being conducted by the police.However, he wanted the marines to be shifted to a guest house.Chandy said that Mistura had expressed faith in the judicial system here. The Chief Minister said the Italians wanted to have a joint probe for which India could not concede.He said that two Italians were given permission to be present while the weapons examinations were conducted at the forensic lab.The Chief Minister said that he expressed the government’s  concern over the Italians unleashing an attack over an Indian restaurant in Italy. He pointed out that many of the restaurants were being closed in view of the attack. He said the Italian Minister told him that theirs was a country of 60 million people and only a few hundred people were engaged in such anti-India activities.