WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama on Thursday spoke to Italy's President Giorgio Napolitano and expressed confidence in his leadership as Rome battles political and financial turmoil.
White House spokesman Jay Carney revealed the conversation as Italy was consumed by political intrigue after Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was forced to say he would resign once an economic reform package is adopted.
"The president spoke with President Napolitano this morning about the situation in Italy," Carney said.
"He expressed confidence in President Napolitano's leadership to put an interim government in place in Italy that will implement an aggressive reform program and restore market confidence."
Obama intervened as global pressure mounted on Italy to outline political plans for after Berlusconi's imminent resignation, and Brussels warned Rome was failing to meet its economic targets.
The International Monetary Fund called for "political clarity" while the European Commission said Italy's economic forecasts were wrong and warned that the country's high borrowing costs would hit the economy within months.
The White House announced later in the day that Obama had spoken with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, saying it was a continuation of "their close consultations on the European financial crisis."
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