Dear Columbia University

Thanks, but no thanks.

The following letter is translated, first from Italian into Polish, and then into English, so it's a little rough around the edges. However, it gets the job done.

The former president [of Italy] writes to " old-fashioned racialists"

Rome,Italy - september

In protest against the invitation of the president of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to speak at Columbia University, former Italian president Francesco Cossiga gave back the title of the doctor Honoris Causa of this University. Senator Cossiga wrote that he was indignant organizing the lecture of the Iranian leader by the chancellor of UC , [whom] he called "a threatening neonazi and a Islamic terrorist".

The former Italian president reminded in the sharp letter to the rector of the University Columbia that Ahmadinejad expressed the thirst of the destruction of Israel.

"Regardfully for six millions of murdered Jews whose you - old-fashioned racialists, and today also advocates of Islamic terrorists - I, a Catholic, return the title granted to me of Honoris Cause and I burn the toga which you gave to me" - declared Cossiga.

His letter finished with words: "without respect -- Francesco Cossiga".