Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Monday summoned once again the US ambassador to Italy to renew his demand for a full investigation into the shooting by US forces in Iraq that killed an Italian agent and wounded several others.

At the end of their 45-minute meeting, US ambassador Mel Sembler submitted a written report to Berlusconi, which may cover the results of initial investigation by the US of the shooting, Italian press said.

US troops killed an Italian intelligence agent Friday in Iraq as he was accompanying an Italian journalist, who was freed by her captors, on the way to Baghdad airport. The journalist and two other Italian officials were wounded.

Shortly after the shooting, Berlusconi summoned Sembler and demanded an explanation. Sembler told Berlusconi he had asked Washington for an immediate clarification and promised a thorough investigation.

US President George W. Bush expressed his regret as he called Berlusconi, and promised that the shooting would be fully investigated, White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters on Friday night.

US media quoted US military sources as saying on Monday that the shooting was due to a "lack of communication" between intelligence organizations of the two countries. But Italian intelligence authorities said Washington should have had related information.

The freed Italian female journalist, Giuliana Sgrena, who suffered shrapnel wounds in the shoulder, said it was possible that they were targeted deliberately because the United States opposes Italy's policy of negotiating with kidnappers.

Source: Xinhua