Berlusconi apology not enough, say MEPs

ITALIAN Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi expressed regret for his Nazi gaffe last night - but only to German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.

A brief phone call from Rome to Berlin brought the row to an end as far as Mr Schroeder was concerned.

However, furious Euro MPs say that is not good enough. They want an apology addressed to the entire European Parliament, which was stunned by Mr Berlusconi's outburst yesterday.

The Italian leader suggested one of his hecklers would be a good choice to play a Nazi concentration camp guard in a forthcoming film.

The target of his jibe, German socialist MEP Martin Schulz, says he is not interested in a personal apology from the Italian leader. But he does expect an apology extended to the parliament itself.

The leader of Britain's Labour MEPs, Gary Titley said: "Our message for Berlusconi is that this parliament must get the clear and unambiguous apology it deserves."

Mr Berlusconi told Mr Schroeder over the phone that he regretted choosing the "expression and comparison" when he tried to bat away Mr Schulz's heckling with a joke.

The exchange was probably enough to ease the tension sufficiently ahead of tomorrow's meeting in Rome between Mr Berlusconi and all of the European Commissioners a ritual engagement at the start of each EU member state's six-month turn holding the EU presidency.

But Euro-MPs are insisting Mr Berlusconi makes another "I'm sorry" call very soon to European Parliament president Pat Cox.

Mr Cox agreed at an emergency meeting of European Parliament political leaders earlier yesterday to seek a "fair and balanced solution" to the row by making contact with members of the Italian government.

The only dissenting voice in the parliament political hierarchy was the leader of the centre-right Christian Democrats, Hans-Gert Poettering, who suggested that it was for Mr Schulz to apologise for provoking Mr Berlusconi in the first place.

The grouping of parties Mr Poettering heads in the European Parliament includes the British Tories and Mr Berlusconi's own Forza Italia. Mr Titley continued: "The reason Poettering is seeking an apology from Mr Schulz is so as not to upset the Forza Italia contingent.

"Poettering is prepared to prostitute his beliefs for political convenience," he said.

Mr Titley said Mr Cox's job now was to secure an apology from Mr Berlusconi and "remove the black cloud hanging over the European Union".

He warned: "Without an unambiguous apology, this parliament will not find it easy to engage in constructive co-operation with an Italian president-in-office so unconcerned about respect for human rights.

"Without an apology to clear the air, there is a real concern that the fallout from Berlusconi's comments will undermine negotiations on the future of Europe and enlargement in a critical phase over the next six months."

Even if honour is satisfied on all sides, the fallout is bound to blight Italy's running of EU affairs, although a European Commission spokesman said diplomatically: "We are convinced that this matter will not affect the Italian government running a successful term of office in the EU presidency. The presidency is not a question of personalities but of governments and the Italian presidency will, we are sure, be a success."