Bush discusses agent shooting with Berlusconi

WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush told Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi today that the Italian intelligence agent killed by US soldiers in Iraq was a hero and described the incident as a tragic accident.

The call was part of a diplomatic push by Washington to repair strained relations with a key Iraq war ally after Italy and the United States issued conflicting reports on the death of agent Nicola Calipari, who was shot at a US military checkpoint near the Baghdad airport in March as he escorted an Italian hostage to freedom.

While the US findings exonerated American troops in the incident and put the blame largely on the Italians, Rome said US soldiers and a poorly organised roadblock were at the root of the killing.

In the phone call, Bush "reiterated our regret that the incident happened with Mr Calipari," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.

"The president referred to Mr Calipari as a hero and extended our condolences for the tragic accidental death of Mr Calipari," McClellan said.

"The two leaders agreed that the tragedy would not harm the strong friendship between the United States and Italy, nor our commitment to help the Iraqi people build a brighter future," McClellan added.

On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in a telephone call with her Italian counterpart, Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini, that she was sorry the two countries could not agree on the shooting, Italy's foreign ministry said.

Berlusconi is due to address parliament on Thursday on the affair, but is expected to resist calls from some opposition politicians to withdraw Italian troops from Iraq in protest.

- REUTERS