Italian premier scraps 'family values' conference

PREMIER Silvio Berlusconi has scrapped a planned appearance at a conference on family values next week in Milan.

By The Newsroom

Published 5th Nov 2010, 21:16 BST

Updated 6th Nov 2010, 18:55 BST

The move comes amid reports of his encounters with a prostitute and ties to an 17-year-old Moroccan girl.

Francesco Belletti, who heads a family association, said this week that a Berlusconi appearance would "embarrass" the conference. A statement from Berlusconi's office said a Cabinet undersecretary would open the conference tomorrow.

Berlusconi allegedly ordered police to release the Moroccan girl from custody in what many see as an abuse of power.