Press statement issued by the ministry of external affairs on the Italian Marines issue
The Ministry of External Affairs received a note verbale from the Embassy of Italy in New Delhi late in the evening of 11 March 2013 regarding the Supreme Court decision of 18 January 2013 on the Italian Marines issue. The note verbale conveyed, inter-alia, that Italy deems that there is an existing controversy with India concerning the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Seas of 1982 and the general principles of international law applicable to the Enrica Lexie incident. They have requested the Indian government to set up a meeting at diplomatic level in order to reach an amicable solution of the said controversy. A request had earlier been received in this regard on 6 March 2013. The Italian request of 6 March 2013 is under examination.