Berlusconi deepens confusion by staying on as premier

POLITICAL confusion deepened in Rome last night when Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi contradicted earlier expectations that he was about to resign and form a new government by saying he had not stepped down.

Mr Berlusconi had been expected to make the move to strengthen his conservative coalition.

After an earlier emergency meeting of coalition leaders in Rome, Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini said Mr Berlusconi would resign. The offer was expected to come when Mr Berlusconi met President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi last evening.