A reader in Rome sends a translation of the official Berlusconi communique reacting to all the recent Nigergate news revelations. As he writes, "The communiqué was so hilarious, pompous, rhetorical that I had to translate it. ... Sounds like Silvio is in a 1930’s time warp. ..."

The last two articles published on the daily 'La Repubblica' fully confirm the government position firmly expressed and reiterated by Palazzo Chigi in the last communiqué diffused on October 24th, when once again it was reaffirmed that the government, and especially the SISMI, had utterly nothing to do with the “ false dossier on Nigerien Uranium” with regards to any hypothesis that directly or indirectly implicates the government. Although gripping and suggestive, the inquiry pays for quoting groundless and not detailed sources, which cannot be considered as reliable only because they're well reported. Truth itself expresses the powerful and indestructible force that fears no scrutiny or verification, but to the contrary can only come out with renewed vigour and, if ever, with a far more vast and acclaimed diffusion. The facts narrated, as well as the circumstantial elements concerning time, place, mode, and the people involved are not only false, but are disproved by punctual references, and, certainly, what counts most, incontrovertible documentation.

If there are conditions of serious concern which unfortunately exist, Palazzo Chigi finds it in the diffusion of information, other than being groundless, risks to gratuitously create serious damage to [our] primary interests, which does not appear lawful nor correct to jeopardize only in an attempt to fantasize. The image of our nation in the world, the credibility of our institutions that watch over the political correctness and the legitimacy of the Executive, and the stability of international relations are not arguments on which we are disposed to indulge. Just as we strongly avert [our] duty to safeguard the security and safety, as well as the dignity, of the SISMI functionaries exposed with sudden carelessness to grave risk both for their person and for their relations in a way charged with insidious deceit and dangers. That said, with calm and sober serenity, comforted by the awareness of acting in the tracks of authentic and straightforward truth, Palazzo Chigi is evaluating with responsibility the prospects of legally protecting its interests.” ...

In other words, Berlusconi is threatening to sue La Repubblica, for damaging Italy's reputation!

Notice that nobody is suing Rocco Martino, or the Sismi operatives that brought the Niger forgeries into circulation.

Update: Reader D adds:

...By the way, Berlusconi has lost every one of his lawsuits for defamation. In the most recent suit against the investigative reporter Marco Travaglio interviewed by the comedian, Daniel Luttazzi, on his popular- and now banned- RAI 3 program, Satyricon, the courts ruled that everything the two said was true. Berlusconi , Mediaset and Tremonti have been condemned to pay the court costs."

Posted by Laura at October 27, 2005 05:17 PM