The Hindu : Berlusconi apologises for Nazi remark

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 05, 2003

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International

Berlusconi apologises for Nazi remark

By Batuk Gathani

The Italian Premier, Silvio Berlusconi (left), and the European Union Commission President, Romano Prodi, in Rome, on Friday. — AP

BRUSSELS JULY 4. The Italian Prime Minister and President of the European Union, Silvio Berlusconi, on Thursday apologised for likening the German Member of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, to a Nazi concentration camp guard.

The German Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, touched off a diplomatic crisis earlier on Thursday when he demanded an apology from Mr. Berlusconi for his remark. After speaking with Mr. Berlusconi over the phone on Thursday night, Mr. Schroeder said, "I told him the matter was closed after he expressed his regret about the choice of this expression and comparison''.

After a barrage of criticism in the European media, Mr. Berlusconi apologised for his remark, saying he was sorry for the incident if it offended anyone. The qualified apology, however, has put a question mark on Mr. Berlusconi's credibility as the leader of the E.U., especially as the affair continues to arouse strong passions and criticism across the continent's political establishment.

European leaders have been making efforts to ensure that the incident does not escalate into a full-blown political crisis. The European Parliament on Thursday night stepped back from its threat of non-cooperation with Mr. Berlusconi's presidency. The British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, one of Mr Berlusconi's closest allies, refused to comment on the incident.

The Prime Minister of Holland, Jan Peter Balkenende said: "Given the major sensitivities involved, it would have been better for Mr Berlusconi to withdraw the remark immediately.'' The Foreign Minister of Sweden, Anna Lindh, said, "If we had an elected chairman of the European Council, we would not have had Mr Berlusconi as Chairman. Unfortunately, he has six months in the Chair ahead of him.''

A prominent German newspaper Frankfurter Rundachau wrote: "Mr. Berlusconi's statement was indeed extraordinarily tasteless, but its real significance lies in the terrifying realisation that the E.U.'s current highest representative quickly loses his self-control and partially takes leave of his senses. This poses a real risk for the entire European Union, for how will he react when he is really stressed, for example in international crises?''

The President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, met Mr. Berlusconi in Rome on Friday to discuss the E.U.'s agenda under Italy's six-month presidency.

The European Commission has refused to be drawn into the row.

Mr. Prodi is a former Prime Minister of Italy and a bitter political rival of Mr. Berlusconi.

With the "Nazi row" behind it, the continent is now faced with the prospect of Mr. Berlusconi's presidency of the E.U. The issue has thrown up many questions in European forums about the competence and credibility of the new leader.

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