Wikileaks: 'No wild parties' says Berlusconi
'Revelations' from 'low-level functionaries', premier says
29 November, 16:36
(ANSA) - Tripoli, November 29 - Italian Premier Silvio
Berlusconi on Monday denied giving or attending "wild parties"
as claimed in secret US diplomatic cables published by the
whistle-blowing site Wikileaks."I don't frequent these so-called 'wild parties' and I don't even know what they are," the premier said, branding the content of the Wikileaks dossiers "revelations from third- or fourth-level functionaries".
"Once a month I give dinners in my homes where everything happens in a correct, dignified and elegant way," he said. The centre-right premier also said the documents had been published in "left-wing" papers, referring to the Guardian, El Pais, Le Monde, Der Speigel and the New York Times.
Berlusconi said the claims made in the cables, which also raised questions about his physical fitness and close ties to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, "hurt the image of our country".
The premier has been hit by allegations by a prostitute who attended his parties who said under-age girls were present and sex was involved.
He has vigorously denied this and on Monday suggested the call girl, and others who have made similar claims, had been paid to do so.
Berlusconi was speaking in Libya on the sidelines of a European Union-Africa summit.
