The Italian Prime Minister, Mr Silvio Berlusconi, has reignited the controversy over his Nazi jibe at a German MEP by denying he had offered an apology for his remarks.
Mr Pat Cox, President of the European Parliament, meanwhile made it clear the matter would not be over until Mr Berlusconi apologised to the assembly.
Speaking at a news conference held after a meeting in Rome yesterday with the European Commission President Mr Romano Prodi, Mr Berlusconi suggested it was he rather than Mr Martin Schulz MEP who was owed an apology.
Asked about a Thursday evening phone call between himself and German Chancellor Mr Gerhard Schröder in which he had reportedly "apologised" for his remarks, Mr Berlusconi replied: "I did not offer any apology yesterday. Rather, I forcefully underlined that I had been offended, I myself and my country.
"I did not make my excuses but rather underlined my regret that someone had misinterpreted comments which I intended as ironic. I'm sorry if this upset someone's sensibilities but sensibilities work both ways."
On Wednesday, in the European Parliament, the German Social Democrat, Mr Martin Schulz, attacked Mr Berlusconi's governing style. The Italian Prime Minister responded by suggesting the MEP could play the role of a Kapo, or guard, in a concentration camp.
"I know there is in Italy a man producing a film on the Nazi concentration camps. I would like to suggest you for the role of Kapo. You'd be perfect," he said.
Mr Berlusconi was in the parliament on Wednesday to outline Italy's priorities for its six-month presidency of the European Union. MEPs booed, jeered and banged their desks in protest at the remark but the Prime Minister declined to withdraw it.
Yesterday, as a stony-faced Mr Prodi looked on, Mr Berlusconi said the real culprit behind this week's political storm was in fact one of the characters in the 1960s US sit-com, Hogan's Heroes.
"His way of going on and the tone of his voice reminded me of the television character Sgt Schulz of Hogan's Heroes, the series in which Sgt Schulz shouted and ranted a lot but in the end turned out to be kind-hearted," said Mr Berlusconi.
According to Italian state TV, a German government spokesman, while confirming that the matter remains closed as far as Germany is concerned, last night suggested that the Italian Prime Minister had, in fact, offered a sincere apology in his telephone conversation with Mr Schröder.
Meanwhile, other key players in this Europe-wide farce yesterday suggested that, for them at least, closure is not yet in sight.
Mr Cox said a phone call to Mr Schröder was not enough.
"The incident happened on the floor of the European Parliament, not in Berlin. There is a need for clarification by Berlusconi with the European Parliament in order to bring final closure to this matter."