- The British ambassador to Rome, Sir Ivor Roberts, caused
uproar in Italy yesterday after he accused President George W Bush of being
the "best recruiting sergeant" for al-Qa'eda.
-
- His private comments were leaked in the Italian press
yesterday and caused consternation at the Foreign Office, which said they
"did not reflect government policy".
-
- But British officials said Sir Ivor would at most receive
a verbal rebuke, as he was speaking "under Chatham House
rules".
-
- Chatham House, the Royal Institute for International
Affairs, holds meetings under a privacy rule that allows comments to be
reported as long as the identity of the speaker is protected.
-
- But Corriere Della Sera in Milan one of Italy's most
prestigious newspapers, broke the confidentiality of the Pontignano
conference,
an annual gathering outside Siena attended by ministers, officials,
academics
and journalists from Britain and Italy.
-
- Participants said Sir Ivor vented his anger at US policy
after the gathering heard that most Europeans would favour Mr Bush's
Democratic
challenger in the November presidential election, Senator John
Kerry.
-
- "Al-Qa'eda would vote for the re-election of
President
Bush. It regards President Bush as the best recruiting sergeant ever,"
participants quoted Sir Ivor as saying.
-
- Sir Ivor said last night, through the Foreign Office:
"The remarks as reported did not reflect my personal
view."
-
- © Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2004.
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