FIRST Minister Rhodri Morgan has said sorry for any offence he caused by failing to attend D-Day commemorations.
Yesterday Mr Morgan was at the Celtic Manor, attending a meeting about the Newport 2010 Ryder Cup, while world leaders were in Normandy marking the 60th anniversary.
Despite widespread criticism, Mr Morgan refused to change his meeting, and Social Justice Minister Edwina Hart represented the Assembly in France.
Last night Mr Morgan said: "It was always our intention to honour the D-Day veterans and this is why we chose a minister to represent us whose family had such a proud record of service during the Second World War."
Mrs Hart's father is one of five brothers who served in the armed forces. Her mother was in the Wrens.
Mr Morgan said: "I very much regret that many people have been given the impression that Wales is not being represented, or that it is wrong for Wales to be represented by anyone else than the first minister."
A spokesman for the Welsh Conservatives said: "He made a grave error of judgement."
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