Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi voiced regret to the head of the European Parliament today for comparing a German lawmaker with a Nazi concentration camp guard, a parliament statement said.
The semi-apology brought to an end a bitter row sparked by Mr Berlusconi's outburst last week, which marred the start of Italy's six-month EU presidency and fuelled doubts about his suitability to lead the bloc.
Parliament President Pat Cox now regarded the matter as closed, his spokesman Mr David Harley said.
Mr Cox telephoned Mr Berlusconi to seek "an act of clarification" to end the incident and restore normal co-operation between parliament and the EU presidency.
"Silvio Berlusconi expressed his regret for having used in the course of an animated debate...certain expressions and comparisons which have hurt the sensitivities of members of the European Parliament," the official statement said.
"Mr Berlusconi added that his intentions may have been misunderstood and that in no way had he ever intended to offend," it said.
In Rome, the Italian leader confirmed he had spoken to Mr Cox but made no comment on their conversation.
"I just talked to Cox," he told a joint news conference with Swiss President Pascal Couchepin in answer to journalists' questions before leaving the room.
Mr Berlusconi caused outrage last week by saying German MEP Mr Martin Schulz, who had criticised a conflict of interest between the billionaire Italian leader's political office and his media empire, would make a perfect "Kapo" (guard) in a film being made in Italy about Nazi concentration camps.
He rejected widespread calls to apologise, saying Mr Schulz had insulted him and his country and his response had been "an ironic joke". But he expressed regret to Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder for any offence caused to Germans.
However, Cox insisted that since the incident had occurred on the floor of the European Parliament, Mr Berlusconi needed to make amends to the assembly.