Rumsfeld expresses regret in phone call to Italian counterpart

ROME - US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has expressed regret for the killing of an Italian agent by US troops in Iraq in a phone call to his Italian counterpart Antonio Martino, Italy's defence ministry said.
Rumsfeld telephoned Martino "to express the regret of the American administration and his personal regret for the death of Nicola Calipari," Italy's top intelligence officer in Iraq, the ministry said.
"I'm sure that the ongoing investigation will fully clarify the circumstance which led to the tragic end of this incident," Rumsfeld concluded by saying, according to the ministry statement.

03/06/2005 12:35 GMT