[JURIST] The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs [official website, English version] urged the US Thursday to cooperate with proceedings initiated against a US soldier in the shooting death of an Italian intelligence agent in Iraq. An Italian judge Wednesday ordered New York Army National Guard [official website] soldier Mario Lozano [Wikipedia profile] to stand trial [JURIST report] on charges of voluntary homicide in connection with the death of Italian intelligence agent Nicola Calipari [BBC profile] at a US checkpoint in Iraq in March 2005. While Italy has not yet moved for Lozano's extradition, officials are concerned that the US has failed to provide them information about Lozano or to pass on to Lozano documents involved in the investigation. US and Italian officials have failed to agree [JURIST report] on details surrounding Calipari's death and a Pentagon spokesman has said that the US would not hand Lozano over for trial, which is scheduled to begin April 17. Talks are scheduled later Thursday between Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema and US Ambassador to Italy Ronald P. Spogli [official profiles], with Italy hoping that the US will agree to bilateral cooperation according to the mutual legal assistance treaty [State Dept. backgrounder] that is in effect between Italy and the US.

Calipari was shot to death in 2005 while driving to the Baghdad airport after securing the release of Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena [Wikipedia profile] from Iraqi kidnappers. A second Italian agent, Andrea Carpani, was also wounded when US soldiers perceived the car as insurgents speeding through a security checkpoint. AP has more.