The Italian prime minister has told his supporters that love always triumphs over hate, in his first message since an attack that left him in hospital.

意大利总理遭袭击住院之后首次对他的支持者发表消息，称“爱总是会战胜仇恨”。

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The alabaster model, similar to this one, was flung from close range

The brief message from Silvio Berlusconi was posted on the website of his People of Freedom party.

Mr Berlusconi, struck in the face by a replica²复制品 model of Milan's cathedral大教堂 after a rally in the city on Sunday, is to leave hospital on Wednesday.

The object, flung from close range, broke his nose and two teeth.

Rest recommendation

"Sincere thanks to the very many who have sent me messages of solidarity团结 and affection喜爱，感情," Mr Berlusconi's message reads.

"I say again that everyone should stay calm and secure. Love always triumphs over envy and hate."

Mr Berlusconi's personal physician, Dr Alberto Zangrillo, says he has told the prime minister to forgo⁴放弃，停止 public duties for at least two weeks to fully⁵ recover from the attack, during which the PM is reported to have lost almost half a litre公升 (one pint) of blood.

But his spokesman, Paulo Bonaiuti, said enforcing this recommendation推荐，建议 would be "a problem, because it is very difficult to keep him away from his work".

The 73-year-old billionaire leader has already cancelled plans to attend the UN climate summit in Copenhagen as well as a meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan scheduled for Wednesday.

The suspect, 42-year-old Massimo Tartaglia, is reported to have sent a letter via his lawyers to the prime minister, apologising for what he said was "a superficial表面的，肤浅的, cowardly and inconsiderate轻率地 act".

He is reported to have been undergoing treatment for mental health issues for several years.

The attack has sparked an outpouring of sympathy for the Italian leader, who has in recent months been buffeted连续猛击 by political divisions, sex scandal allegations, court cases and an expensive divorce.

World heads, including French President Nicolas Sarkozy as well as the British, Spanish and German leaders, and the Pope, have all sent messages of sympathy.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is reported to have phoned Mr Berlusconi on Tuesday, to tell him he had "behaved in a manly⁷ way in an extreme situation", according to a spokesman cited by Agence France-Presse.