LONDON - He has been in London for just two weeks, but the Italian ambassador Inigo Lambertini has already had to face a small diplomatic confrontation. After the fall of yet another British government, the weekly The Economist came out with a cover depicting the resigning premier Liz Truss dressed as a Roman soldier and "armed" with a fork complete with rolled up spaghetti and a pizza as a shield. Above the image, the title: "Welcome to Britaly".
The not too veiled allusion to the many successive governments in Italy and the stereotypical image of our country did not please the Italian ambassador, who wrote a letter to the editor of the newspaper.
"Reading The Economist is a pleasure for every diplomat," wrote Lambertini. "And for the Italian ambassador to the United Kingdom, even more so considering that you pay constant attention to Italy, a country so loved by the British people".
Referring then to the last cover "unfortunately inspired by the oldest of stereotypes", Ambassador Lambertini added: "despite spaghetti and pizza being the most sought after dishes in the world, Italy being the second manufacturing power in Europe, for your next cover, we suggest you choose something related to our aerospace, biotechnology, automotive or pharmaceutical sectors as a theme. Whatever you choose ", concluded the diplomat," it will give a more accurate picture of Italy, also taking into account your admiration, not so secret, of our economic model ".
Inigo Lambertini's letter was published on the official account of the Italian Embassy in the United Kingdom and on that of the ambassador.
(aise)
