German Chancellor to Visit Italy in August

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, July 19, 2003

German Chancellor to Visit Italy in August

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder will visit Italy next month after a two-week diplomatic row between Berlin and Rome.

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German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder will visit Italy next month after a two-week diplomatic row between Berlin and Rome.

President of European Commission Romano Prodi has invited him to a musical festival to be held in Verona, Schroeder said Friday after talks with the president.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi expressed his welcome to Schroeder's decision, saying he and "all German people" will be welcome in Italy.

The two countries came to a diplomatic dispute after Berlusconi compared a German member of the European Parliament to a Nazi campguard.

He then expressed his regret for the comparison but then another Italian official, tourism minister Stefano Stefani, outraged Berlin by labeling German visitors as "hypernationalistic blondes."

His remarks provoked Schroeder to cancel his holiday in Italy planned for July.

The minister then resigned under pressure from both inland and Germany.

Schroeder also said that he would spend his holiday in Italy next year.

He "loves the country with its culture and history "and "respected the Italian people," said the chancellor.

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