Premier Silvio Berlusconi reiterated on Tuesday that US President George W. Bush wants him to win the April general elections, blasting an Italian daily for saying he had fibbed. However, he has clarified that the U.S. president did not state this outright. It was simply a logical deduction Berlusconi made since if the centre-left opposition won the Italian troops would be withdrawn from Iraq.
After the premier's remarks, National Security advisor Fred Jones told reporters that Italy's elections are a national issue, stressing that "as usual, the US does not interfere in the domestic affairs of other countries, especially during and before elections."
Cassini, the leader of the Italian Parliament, has called on Berlusconi to avoid mingling national politics with international affairs.
The La Repubblica daily said in a front-page headline on Tuesday that "Bush denies Berlusconi" , terming the the premier's reports on his talks with the president 'spoof diplomacy'.
When did Bush deny what Berlusconi said? How, when, on what issue," replied the premier. "The president believes Premier Berlusconi has provided strong leadership. Under his leadership Italy has been one of our closest allies and made enormous contributions to peace and security," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said after the talks on Monday.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, after talks with Bush at the White House, the premier said the American government "feared a change in government in Italy." Berlusconi likened opposition leader Romano Prodi, whose coalition is leading the centre right in public opinion polls, to Spain's Socialist Premier Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.
Zapatero pulled Spanish troops from Iraq shortly after his victory in March 2004 elections, distancing his government from Bush administration. Berlusconi said that Prodi has indicated that he would follow Zapatero's lead if elected, a stance that "clearly" displeases Washington.
"One plus one makes two. There's no other explanation: it's elementary, it's clear,"Berlusconi said.
The issue fuelled polemics today, with the centre right backing the premier and the opposition saying Berlusconi had "humiliated" Italy. Former President Francesco Cossiga urged Berlusconi to refrain from divulging facts discussed during official meetings.
"He's got to be careful, otherwise no one will ever tell him anything else during private talks," said Cossiga.
