The disposal of Nazi war criminal Erich Priebke's remains is a problem for Italy alone, his lawyer says, after Rome approached Berlin over the possibility of burying him in Germany.
"Italy wanted him, had him extradited, tried him, convicted him and kept him for years. Now let (Italy) keep the hot potato," Paolo Giachini said, five days after Priebke died in Italy aged 100.
Italy earlier in the day contacted Germany over what to do with Priebke's remains, Rome's prefect Giuseppe Pecoraro told reporters.
In Berlin, German foreign ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer confirmed that there had been "informal contacts" but no "official request from the Italian side" for the body to be sent back to Priebke's native land.
Schaefer said it was up to Priebke's family to decide what to do with the body, which is currently at a military airport near Rome.
