Hamburg: A UN tribunal today asked both India and Italy to "suspend" all court proceedings involving two Italian marines charged with killing of two Indian fishermen in 2012 and also refrain from initiating new ones that might "aggravate or extend" the dispute that triggered a diplomatic row between the two countries.

Hearing Italy's appeal in the case, the President of the International Tribunal on Law of the Sea (ITLOS), Vladimir Golitsyn asked the two countries to submit the initial report in the entire incident by September 24.

Italian Marines Massimiliano Latorre (R) and Salvatore Girone (L) speak to the press at Ciampino airport near Rome, on December 22, 2012. Pic/AFP