July 16 - Nicaragua has broken diplomatic relations with Italy in a spat over the 1978 killing of a former Italian prime minister, Nicaragua's foreign ministry said on Thursday.

The ministry said the decision was triggered by comments from Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani criticizing the Central American nation for harboring a former militant convicted of the 1978 assassination of former Prime Minister Aldo Moro.

Tajani had questioned Nicaragua's decision to grant citizenship to Alessio Casimirri, a former member of the far-left Red Brigades.

Moro, a former prime minister and leader of Italy's Christian Democrats, was kidnapped by the Red Brigades in March 1978. The group demanded the release of imprisoned members in exchange for his safety, but Moro was found dead in the trunk of a car some two months later.

Italy's foreign ministry, when asked to comment, reiterated Tajani's call for Casimirri to be extradited.

"We tell Nicaragua that granting immunity to a criminal is unacceptable," Tajani said. REUTERS

Nicaragua breaks diplomatic ties with Italy over 1978 murder case