CBC: PMO retracts message about Italian troop commitment

[tuvor]

The Prime Minister's Office had to quickly backtrack on Thursday, after incorrectly telling reporters that Italy was loosening the restrictions imposed on its troops in Afghanistan.

...

About 40 minutes later, the Prime Minister's Office backtracked. Berlusconi hadn't removed the conditions and was only considering it, they said.

Reporters started scrambling, as most had already filed their stories to their editors and producers back in Canada.

"The PMO's staff … said, 'Oops, sorry, not true,' and then a parade of journalists went up to the front of the plane where the only secure and operating telephone exists, to correct those stories," the CBC's chief political correspondent Keith Boag said.

"This could have had a very damaging and embarrassing effect in terms of a diplomatic gaffe," he added.

...

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/05/29/harper-europe.html

[HEyHEY]

1. I don't recall such crap when Chretin was running things

[daleo]

2. The Italians must be steamed

Imagine how we would feel if a major new Canadian military initiative was announced first by the Italians, just so the Italian PM could have a feelgood story for his home crowd.

Our allies must wonder what's happening - first Obamagate/NAFTAgate, then SecretNatoDocumentsGate, now the Italian Job. I think the level of trust among our allies must be plummeting.