Italy and Croatia end Diplomatic Row

Italy and Croatia have put behind them a diplomatic row started whith comments about Wolrd War Two massacre, said Italian foreign ministry.

The dispute erupted a week ago, when Italian President Giorgio Napolitano said the killings were tinged with "sinister outlines of ethnic cleansing" and that "Slavic designs for annexation" prevailed in drawing up a 1947 peace treaty.

His remarks outraged Croatian President Stjepan Mesic, whose office said they were racist and objected to what it saw as his questioning of the treaty.

The mass killing has been a taboo subject for decades, and the diplomatic row raised questions about Italy's support for Croatian entry to the European Union.

The foreign ministry said on Saturday that the government had explained to Croatia's ambassador to Rome that Napolitano's comments had been misinterpreted, and both sides had "overcome" the misunderstanding.

"In the words of President Napolitano, there was ... no intention to put the Peace Treaty of 1947 in question," the ministry said.

It assured Croatia that Italy would support its path towards membership of the European Union.