Posted by Henri M
on 23/10/2009, 9:34:35, in reply to "Re: Gala at Quirinale"
Silvio Berlusconi (the Italian Premier) has done it again. He caused a serious diplomatic incident with Jordan. On the very, very last moment Mr Berlusconi cancelled a luch with the King and Queen of Jordan because he got the 'spontaneous' plan to fly to Russia to meet his 'friend' Premier Putin.
Months of preparation were done in advance to this State Visit. At Wednesday Premier Berlusconi was expected to receive the King and Queen of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in a villa in Rome. Due to the unexpected cancellation the Italian protocol panicked: they saw no chance to find another Italian minister or authority on this very last moment to receive the King and Queen and have a lunch with them.
In the very last moment an arrangement was made in a restaurant in Rome (!) but the King became in deep anger when he saw pictures of Premier Berlusconi in a tête-à-tête with Premier Putin, so stated the newspaper La Repubblica.
The Jordan Government has officialy made a protest at the Italian Foreign Department. The media in Jordan are unanymous in their condemnation of the 'scandalous behaviour'.
This was not the first time that Mr Berlusconi took the attention with ungentlemanlike behaviour towards foreign authorities. Not so long ago he caused a similar painful incident. In front of international media the German Chancellor, Mrs Merkel, was ready to receive Premier Berlusconi.
The Chancellor had her hands spread out to welcome him, but instead he walked away while blabbing in his mobile phone, leaving a flabbergasted Mrs Merkel painfully waiting for minutes.
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