Constructive Amnesia

With all of Silvio Berlusconi’s torrid scandals in recent weeks, one may expect the colorful prime minister to hold some regrets and seek national reconciliation, while asking the country to put the past behind them.  Here’s a quote from the AP:

“We want to forget (the past) and resume total cooperation on all the issues on which we have decided to collaborate,” Mr. Berlusconi told journalists on his arrival at the meeting. 

But no, Berlusconi wasn’t talking about Italian politics or his allegedly high-priced houseguests.  He was talking about the resumption of NATO-Russia diplomatic relations, which had been severed since the war last August.  The NRC Summit held in Corfu was only attended by two European heads of state – Mr. Berlusconi and Greek PM Costas Karamanlis, and while an important issue, this is just one stop on a long international road show by the Italian PM (and staunch Kremlin ally) to improve his international image.