Italy may accept help from the United States following the L'Aquila earthquake, Premier Silvio Berlusconi said Tuesday.
After initially turning down offers of help that have poured in from abroad, Berlusconi appeared to change his mind after receiving ''a long phone call'' from US President Barack Obama as he toured temporary camps set up to house those who had lost their homes in the disaster.
''If the United States wants to give a tangible sign of its solidarity with Italy it could take on the responsibility of rebuilding heritage sites and churches,'' Berlusconi said.
''We would be very happy to have this support''.
The premier said Obama had said this was ''an excellent idea'' and would discuss it when the two leaders meet in Washington on a date yet to be set.
Berlusconi said another alternative would be for the US to help rebuild ''a small district of a town or a suburb'' so that it could say ''this was done with our contribution''.
Many historic buildings and churches in L'Aquila were destroyed or damaged in Monday's earthquake, including the apse of the Abruzzo city's largest Romanesque church, the 13th-century Basilica di Santa Maria di Collemaggio, and the cupola of the 17th-century Anime Sante church designed by Giuseppe Valadier.
