WASHINGTON, July 8: The White House offered embarrassed apologies to Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Tuesday after it issued an unflattering portrait of the premier and his country’s politics.

White House spokesman Tony Fratto said that “there was obviously a mistake, and sloppy work,” describing the incident as “unfortunate.” ”We very much apologise to the prime minister and to the Italian people,” he said.

Briefing notes given to reporters accompanying President George W. Bush to the G8 summit in Japan described Berlusconi is one of the “most controversial leaders in the history of a country known for government corruption and vice.” Fratto insisted Bush “has great admiration and respect for Prime Minister Berlusconi, he has great affection for the Italian people. Italy is a very close friend and ally of America.” Berlusconi, who was sworn in to his third stint as prime minister in May, was one of Bush’s strongest supporters during the US-led invasion of Iraq.

Fratto, who is of Italian descent, said he “took special offence” at the biography because he had many friends and family in Italy.

He said he did not want to cast blame but said “someone took biographies off the Internet and didn’t read them, no one read them before they were put in the book, they just presumed that they were from a reputable source.”Questioned about Italy’s reaction, Fratto said he only found out about what had been written when he received a call from the Italian embassy.—AFP