Bruni's paternity: It takes two to tango

London, Jan 13 (UNI) As the love affair of French president Nicolas Sarkozy with Carla Bruni has becomes a nice colour story for the media, the Italian's ex-model's family has come under scrutiny with fresh claims that her father was millionaire Maurizio Remmert and not Italian tycoon Alberto Bruni Tedeschi.

Mr Remmert has reportedly confessed that Sarkozy's lover is his love-child, the Daily Mail reported quoting Estado newspaper.

Breaking his 40-year silence, Mr Remmert allegedly admitted that the rich heiress was the result of a secret six-year affair he had with her mother, Marisa. ''I have known Carla was my daughter since she was born,'' he said.

The romance began in their home city of Turin in the '60s, where she was a concert pianist, while he a classical guitarist.

The business man claimed that Alberto may have been in the dark about his wife's infidelity at the time, and possibly did not suspect the baby was not his.

Mr Remmert alledged that Carla's mother broke the news when her husband was dying.

Italian author Gian Piero Bona, however, said Alberto, who died in 1996, was aware of the situation and passed on the shocking news to Carla on his deathbed.

He said Carla, whose previous conquests included rock stars Eric Clapton and Mick Jagger, was upset when she first learnt who her real father was, but then she quite took to the idea. Carla said Lady Luck had smiled on her as she had two wealthy fathers.

The impending visit of the French President and his girlfriend is creating ripples in India and sending diplomatic circles into a tizzy over how to accommodate them after their much-publicised trip to Luxor drew criticism from Egyptian MPs.

UNI XC SYU KN1600