Premier Silvio Berlusconi said Monday he will meet United States President Barack Obama on June 15 in Washington for talks ahead of July's Group of Eight conference.
''I will speak with Obama about everything that will be on the G8 agenda,'' Berlusconi told Italian radio, describing the talks as ''a normal work meeting''.
He added that at the G8 summit leaders would talk about ''a code of new rules that must regulate world financial and economic life''.
Berlusconi, who is leading the G8 this year, said he had had ''few opportunities'' to talk with Obama so far: once when I spoke to the American Congress and one at Buckingham Palace where it was falsely claimed that Queen Elizabeth was irritated (by my behaviour)''.
The queen was caught by the cameras looking annoyed and asking 'Why does he have to shout?' as Berlusconi yelled over to Obama during a G20 photo shoot, but Buckingham Palace said the following day that the queen had not been offended.
Asked about the polemics over having referred to Obama as ''tanned'' in November, Berlusconi insisted he has meant this ''as a compliment''.
''I said Obama was young, tall and handsome. I was being ironic in a positive sense,'' he said.
The G8 summit, which runs July 8-10, was moved to L'Aquila from its original venue on the Sardinian island of La Maddalena in a bid to help focus international attention on the damage caused by the April 6 quake.
