Italy India marine row: Foreign Minister Terzi quits 26 March 2013 Last updated at 16:07 Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi has resigned over his government's decision to send two Italian marines, accused of killing two Indian fishermen, to Delhi for trial. "My reservations about sending the marines back to India were not listened to," he told the Italian parliament. The case sparked a major diplomatic row between India and Italy. The marines said they shot the fishermen off the Kerala coast in 2012 after mistaking them for pirates. They were shuttled back and forth between India and Italy in recent months while the two governments argued over the legal consequences of an alleged crime committed in international waters, the BBC's David Willey, in Rome, reports. Italy then announced last week that it would send the marines back to Delhi to stand trial. 'Unheard' voice On Tuesday, Mr Terzi said he was resigning because his voice had gone "unheard" by Prime Minister Mario Monti and his caretaker administration. "I can no longer be part of this government," Mr Terzi said. I am resigning because I have maintained for 40 years and I maintain more forcefully today that the honour of the country, its armed forces and the Italian diplomacy must be safeguarded. I am resigning because I support the two marines and their families. Meanwhile Defence Minister Giampaolo Di Paola said he would not step down over the crisis because he did not want to "abandon a ship in difficulty." I have always acted for the good of the marines and Italy. If I haven't managed that, I ask forgiveness from everyone, and first of all from both of them," he told MPs shortly after Mr Terzi's announcement. It was me who told them about the decision to return them to India, I looked them in the eyes and told them. The marines, Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, had been guarding an Italian oil tanker when they shot the fishermen in February 2012. But when they failed to return, India's Supreme Court ruled Italy's ambassador Daniele Mancini was barred from leaving the country. In response, the Italian government said last Thursday the marines had agreed to return following a meeting with Mr Monti and other ministers.