Italy denies talks on drug suspects

Italy denies talks on drug suspects

DENPASAR, Bali: Vice Honorary Consul of Italy Giuseppe
Confessa denies reports that his government has pressed Bali
governor Made Beratha to have three Italians released from their
drugs charges.

"We have never asked anybody to have the three released before
necessary legal process based on Indonesian law," Confessa said
here on Friday.

"We always try to maintain bilateral ties with Indonesia by,
among other things, respecting Indonesian laws."

Antara news agency reported from Denpasar on Friday that Bali
Police chief Brig. Gen. Wayan Ardjana refused to release three
Italian women arrested for possession of narcotics as requested
by Italian Ambassador to Indonesia Alessandro Merola.

Ardjana said on Friday that the three were waiting for trial.

According to Antara, the ambassador was in Bali on Friday to
meet the governor and Bali Police chief to settle the case.

The three, Vinzenza Delia (35), Claudia Fontanarosa (28) and
Pilar Sunjust (23) were arrested at a party with nine other
foreigners in a raid in the Krobokan area, some five kilometers
north of Kuta in August.

The other foreigners are French and Swedish nationals.

The officers found 10.2 grams of hashish stashed in the
bungalow's refrigerator, 2.5 grams of cocaine on a table and
another 0.5 grams of hashish in one of the foreigner's jacket.
(zen/sur)